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watermelon-soda

Some people wonder where I get my material for this column. Frankly, it’s not that difficult.

This winner comes to us from Harlem, New York City. NEW YORK CITY!!! And what’s worse? This soda isn’t stocked in some obscure, back-alley corner shop. Oh no. It’s in… TARGET!

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON, PEOPLE?!

Am I crazy for thinking THIS is crazy? Speak on it.

Tags: just curious, Media, Racism, Stereotypes
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News One Links

 
  • http://www.blackplanet.com/UnderStandinMan/ UnderStandinMan

    hate to tell yall. This is old

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/DMY19151/ DMY19151

    IF IT’S OLD…WHY DID YOU POST OR SAY SOMETHING ABOUT IT WHEN YOU 1ST HEARD OR SAW IT UNDERSTANDINMAN? THAT S**T IS RACIST AND DISTURBING….TO BLACK WOMEN ESPECIALLY….WHO THE F**K IS BUYING IT THOUGH AND WHO MAKES IT? HOLLA BACK UNDERSTANDINMAN….LET ME KNOW BIG HOMIE…..

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Gemini510/ Gemini510

    1. The company who made this is ignorant.
    2. The employers & employees @ Target are ignorant.
    3. Who drinks watermelon pop/soda?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/AllaboutME-07/ AllaboutME-07

    With all that’s going on in this crazy world is this really that important? I shop at Target frequently and I’ve never seen it before, not to say it’s not there. I do agree that it’s racist so I just wouldn’t buy it if if did see it. These are just my opinions however!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/hunnibunnz/ hunnibunnz

    Okay, but if you look, at the video, don’t you see there is a little white boy eating watermelon on some of the cans too? People make it sound racist because they want it to be. I like watermelon and I’m not black. Why is watermelon even associated with black people? I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like watermelon…

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Kountry_Mayne/ Kountry_Mayne

    I say us as african americans need to just chill out with all this racist crap. Every time theres a black figure on a product in a store its racist?? but we are the ones buying cd’s and dvd’s of these rappers sayin n!gga this and n!gga that. Seriously its kinda hard to determine whos really racist us or whites ? theres a white kid on the can eating a watermelon too and theres a black kid on the opposite side of the can. Big whoop. But I dont see the white folks bloggin up a storm when you see the lil fuzzy red haired white kid with glasses and buckteeth lookin goofy or pickin they nose on a store product. Im really beginning to think that we are starting to get a little to carried away with the race issue. would it be better if we were not at all in movies , video games , tv , stores and ect ? because it seems like every thing that has a black face on it becomes racist. This sh!t is getting annoyingly ignorant about hearing racist racist racist all the time. chill out.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/mandmore/ mandmore

    we need to chill?…oh no…they need to chill…don’t buy that garbage…sue ‘em!….

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/shavedclean/ shavedclean

    I would not buy it simply because it’s insulting. However with the addition of the little white boy on the other side it could be considered as insulting to the white race. They do not as a whole share our sensitivity to being labeled. Not to speak in stereotypical terms, they have a stronger sense of identity. We still have some growing to do before it will become an embarrasment and a significant finacial liability to all who continue to denegrate us. Too many of our own people simply have yet learned to value our true worth.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Aceman52/ Aceman52

    So did anyone see the country bumpkin white boy printed on the label before the camera got to the black girl? Look, Im not gogin to defend this but I am also not going to lose sleep over it either. Whoever designed the logo obviously did not know or did not care how it would be taken. My advice, if you dont like it, dont buy it

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/pleeesher/ pleeesher

    ok i would not buy this just because of the image yes it does also have a whit character on it just the same yet the image that represents date far blavk to slavery days when we were viewed insignificant the image of this black girl could have been done much better i mean her lips are pink and everything else is black……the other image does’t look like that…….so most definately i am disturbed at this and no i absolutely would not buy this product!!!!!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/new_year_new_things/ new_year_new_things

    now i know im going to take alot of heat for this one but f**k it. who cares about an image on a soda… now a days its getting ridiculous how much people are complaining about little s**t like this… so what!!!! black people have been making racist jokes and comments on t.v, movies, stand up comedy and all that for years….. and even about black people themselves. but lets see an image of a watermelon or piece of chicken on a product and its a slavery moment all of over again… pleaseeeeee!!!! stop looking for s**t that you can use to justify why were always being put down and focus on what we can use and do to better ourselves. its like nobody wants to address their own issues but are quick to jump on a bandwagon to represent black pride when its an outside issue. thats funny to me. the same people on here complaining about guns and s**t like that being used in a way to represent blacks are the ones with pics of themselves smoking weed and holding guns on their page. you can’t just be for the cause when it best suits………..TM

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/goodguygohard/ goodguygohard

    for the non-knowing/non west indian folk, these sodas have been in the caribbean shops like…say…FOREVER. Yeah, some things are “racist” and blatantly playing off of stereotypes, but it is also what is culturally accepted. in various countries there are just some things that we may take to offense; however, in that home country, its not meant to be seen in that light. now, of course, it’s not ok to “get used to” such caricatures, but…..DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE YOU START PULLING THE RACE CARD. I’m most certain that Target put this in the store because of the demand from other cultures for this product.
    Instead of saying “how dare you” let’s ask “why did you”. The answer may help people understand on both ends of the line.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/_HERMAPHRODITE_/ _HERMAPHRODITE_

    i never called any thing racist but thats real racist need sumthing done about it

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/chocolatepie4_u/ chocolatepie4_u

    OK THIS SODA AND IT’S LABEL ON THE CAN SOOOOOOOOOO OLD. MY DAD USE TO ALWAYS BUY THIS SODA FROM DA CORNER STORE HERE IN FL. I DONT SEE NOTHIN RACIST ABOUT THIS SODA LABEL. U GOTTA LOOK AT THE HISTORY BEHIND THIS SODA, AND LOOK HOW LONG ITS BEEN AROUND. PLEASE DONT JUMP TOO SOON WITH THE RACIST CARD, DO YOUR RESEARCH FIRST. THERE IS NO REASON TO TAKE OFFENSE TO THIS PEOPLE!!!!!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/alpha111906/ alpha111906

    for those of you that didn’t notice…there were plenty of cans with a white boy munching on watermelon as well. hunnibunnz…thanks for mentioning that first…if only blacks in america only ate watermelon, the demand for it in every grocery chain in america would be extremely low considering we make up alot less than 20 percent of the population in america…even in large non black cities…or small non black cities…they sell watermelon/chicken/grape soda….hence…stereotype.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/JB_thereal_3000/ JB_thereal_3000

    its not racist. i use to drink this in the west indies, its nothing new. so stop crying rasiscm, its getting annoyin now.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/YouCANtPiMpMe/ YouCANtPiMpMe

    ARE YOU SERIOUS? WE BEEN DRINKING THIS SODA FOR YEARS…..WE NEVER LOOKED AT IT AS BEING RACIST…..AND IF IM NOT MISTAKEN, THOSE SODAS ARE A CARRIBEAN PRODUCT…….

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/houstonmeme/ houstonmeme

    this is so effin dumb!!!! i hate ignorant people!!!!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/lD0NTDATEBLACKGIRLS/ lD0NTDATEBLACKGIRLS

    just because it has a black woman on the can it has to be racist? damn, newsone always has sh!t about something being racist. i’m tired of it.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/war_of_words/ war_of_words

    Obvious racism.

    Looks like Amos and Andy. Do you even have to ask?

    People aren’t going to buy that crap.

    Could have a better picture of a black woman than that. If the skin color would have been brown, not jet black with white lips. That’s some bull.

    Any black person that can’t see that is caught up in uncle tom land.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/beautytoocutie/ beautytoocutie

    Well…I really don’t think its a big deal. Its okay people, nothing to get all upset about. I mean I love watermelon, I don’t care what the stereotype about it is. Lets not get all worked up because of something small and silly about this. I mean its the first time I saw the soda ever but I don’t really to much care for what it has on the front, if its good I will drink it.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/war_of_words/ war_of_words

    A jet black face with white lips looks racist to those who have never seen this before.

    Maybe not. But it appears that way.

    I’ve never seen it. I looked racist to me.

    The picture just looks jacked up to me.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/oxpro_music/ oxpro_music

    We are far from being free! Far from the perceived widespread notion of freedom. From the music that being promoted to the food on our selves! Widespread falsehood!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/tellemall/ tellemall

    I think it is a little extreme and maybe just a bit ridiculous. I don’t drink soda and damn sure wouldn’t buy this one, watermelon soda? Can we say eeel!!!!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/V0racii0usKrii0la127/ V0racii0usKrii0la127

    Gosh guys can we pull the stick out of our butts for a minute …its freiken soda…why do people always gotta take everything to the tiddie..arent there more important things to worry about like umm idk healthcare…the war..your own lives…seriously

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/ChuckTaylor_310/ ChuckTaylor_310

    Lol they don’t sell no s**t like that out here in Cali. I don’t see anything wrong with the soda, especially if it’s a brand that has been around for many years and it’s made by black/carribean folks. Now if it was a picture of that same lil girl eating a watermelon but with a noose around her neck, then it would and should be an issue.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Destany211/ Destany211

    I am truly blessed to have been born in the 1970′s and not 16-1870′s. I do not think I would have lived very long then or even in the 20′s-60′s. Racism is something that is intolerable to me and hard to swallow. My grandfather was white, and even if I were as light as passing white as he was, I could still see myself getting myself killed for speaking on a wrong doing done to me personally. Our ancestors living and dead are just remarkable to me. This is 2009 and I am sure that when most of us reach out 70′s, will still be seeing these sorts of things going on. Sad but its true to say…the way of the world?!! =-/

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/GMworker04/ GMworker04

    At first sight I would have assumed it was racist… The white kid on the back would have me scratching my head but as I read the comments and read that it is a Carribean product I’m not to concerned with it. However in the hood they sale fruit drinks that I question… Red Punch, Blue Punch, Orange Punch, Green Punch…. Go to the white grocery stores and their kids actually drink fruit juice from real fruit.. How is it our kids knows what colors taste like. If I blind folded my son right now and gave him a taste test he go be like… thats blue…hmm thats red

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Destany211/ Destany211

    To comment on the gentleman below me ChuckTaylor, this is the imagery that was used even in the reticent 50′s to represent us. 20-30′s and so forth we were COONS with dark faces and red lips. I find it amazing to see any black person taking this with a grain of salt just because it is an image from years ago. It should have been changed and is a definite visual of what racists people think of us. That same Coon Imagery.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/sexxiatgsu/ sexxiatgsu

    It’s funny how the ones doing the interview took a picture of the can that only showed the black girl to show the random people they interviewed. Of course everyone is gonna think its racist if there’s only a little country looking black girl munchin on watermelon. They purposefully disclosed the little white boy eating watermelon because they knew that people would be like “Oh ok..well maybe they should have done a better picture, but its not racist”. If this was really racist then the journalist should have been able to address the presence of the white boy on the can and they didn’t do it. This isn’t racist. Its just NewsOne calling yet another random product with a black person on it racist. Dang. Y’all need to be glad that we are even on products. If y’all are gonna scream racism everytime a product comes out with a black person on it, eventually the white people are just gonna keep us off of their product. Also, like someone else said, where did the whole watermelon and black folk stereotype start? Because I dont know ANYBODY that doesn’t like watermelon. White folks eat it just as much as we do, if not more. ou all need to get it together.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/GMworker04/ GMworker04

    No disrespect Destany211 its okay to look in the past but you shouldn’t live in it…. Honestly have you ever looked at African Art? African Art tends to over exaggerate our strong features. Does that upset you?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/sweet711/ sweet711

    gmworker wit da colors dat so true and sad but funny …ummm thats blue lol

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Saintjamesufc1/ Saintjamesufc1

    i agree with Sexxi. i thought the same thing as you did i saw the white boy eating the watermelon and i thought it probably has a good intention but should have rethought the picture. sure black people eating watermelon in caricatures are a sore subject but i look it like this maybe JUST MAYBE its a white boy eating a watermelon with his black friend? what do you think about it?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Splash_Waters253/ Splash_Waters253

    It’s always the negros that f/uck sc** pilgrims or outside their race that agree with obvious racism. It’s such a shame that they’ll brush that s/hit off likes it’s nothing but this is an issue. In their eyes, and even those that try to pass as white, we have always been looked as less than. Instead of uplifting our own race and culture, or making our own businesses we support others instead of our own. Whether it’s going to these weave and hair product shops owned by chinks or eating this fast food slop, owned by white america. Wake up BLACK people or those that recognize they are BLACK and make our race concrete.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Saintjamesufc1/ Saintjamesufc1

    Being Black doesn’t mean that everything has to offend you. we as a people are so thin skinned it’s disgusting. stand up for your self and your rights i am down for it believe me but i’m pulling teeth or force rascism outta something i dont see it in. and i understand the COON imagery i do but that doesn’t mean that everything is what it appears to be. i have my own mind and wont be swayed by the winds of easily offended “brothas and sistas” who try to guilt me into believe im not claiming or owning my blackness.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/war_of_words/ war_of_words

    Sure there’s more important things to worry about.
    But just as you took time to post your opinion. Other’s did the same thing.
    It boils down to some thinking it’s a big deal and some don’t.

    Just because some think this soda is a hot mess. Doesn’t mean that they don’t care about health care. Everything is not one track. People have to ablility to tackle more than one issue.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Gods_chosenman/ Gods_chosenman

    To me…its insensitive…not really racist. I mean they got a little asian kid with buck teeth on the other side…no one really made a fuss about that. I dont know what or hwere they were going with the marketing but its no different than the little black doll with the beanie that said Monkey…again I dont feel we as black men and women should call the race card everytime we see something that we suspect might be racist… I think it makes it harder to claim racism when something is really deserving of the title…why not actually investigate…call the company? speak to people who really matter.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/SomebodyDaddy/ SomebodyDaddy

    Don’t believe the hype ya’ll. There is plenty of real racism out here. However, this isn’t an example of it. Our arguments against racism lost credibility as a result of exaggerations like this.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/war_of_words/ war_of_words

    @ Sexxi,

    Yeah, that’s true. Cuzz people like me who have never seen the bottle were like WTF? Only had this picture presented to go by.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Dei_DymeDiva14/ Dei_DymeDiva14

    mna i been heard of this ever since i was lil and its NOT racist because its a caribeane product and cause they also fairly show a white kid eating watermelon.. they need to stop getting so sensitive over all this racism this and that!!!!!!!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/war_of_words/ war_of_words

    I don’t care if the pop is made by black muslims. They need to fix the picture before I would think about buying it.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/GMworker04/ GMworker04

    I don’t think they took in consideration if you would buy it or not because of the picture…. Obviously someone is buying it or else they wouldn’t be in business…If its Carribean than to me its fine… You wouldn’t have told Bob Marley to cut his dreads so how are you going to tell them what to put on their products… When we complained about the depictions of Aunt Jamima all they did was lost the scarf and gave her a perm. Did all black women in america stop wearing scarves because of what changed on a PanCake box? Honestly the lil girl looks like Lil Wayne and that look works for him.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/ChuckTaylor_310/ ChuckTaylor_310

    Now that i looked at the video and seen the same soda with a white boy on there eating a watermelon, red lips and all, I’ve come to a conclusion, people are making too much of a fuss about this/ You’re telling me a company that has a white boy/black girl on their soda cans, whom both are eating watermelon and both have red lips is a brand intended to be racist/offending towards blacks? Yeah Okay.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/DaintyJen/ DaintyJen

    yawn

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/diamondlol/ diamondlol

    I think it is insensitive not racist. Someone probably thought this was funny, But for Target to be saleing it, is a whole other issue. That is where the racist comes in. Now who at that store thought it would be ok to put that product on the shelf

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/MrWorf510/ MrWorf510

    The problem is that people have become too complacent to obvious racist imagery. African Americans in particular have forgotten our past. We should be boycotting and in general making it difficult for whomever creates offensive crap such as this. I don’t give a F who made it. It shouldn’t be sold period. WAKE UP!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/SENSUAlxO/ SENSUAlxO

    whatever yo i don`t evn care i would still drink it if i for 1 drank soda and for 2 like watermelon and since i dont do either or .. i could give a fuqk elss .. andd thats soo real.

    im Outttie xO
    sEnsual

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Bball_girl07/ Bball_girl07

    Wal-Mart been selling that soda and now ppl wanna get up in arms since Target selling it? Come on people. It’s a drink…

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Saintjamesufc1/ Saintjamesufc1

    what selfish and ignorant people we are. i’m almost embarrassed at how easily offended some people can be “We should boycott, i dont care who made it” (said in a loud bellowing voice) ignoramus.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/blackdiamond184/ blackdiamond184

    If I saw correctly there was another can of the same stuff with a picture of a white kid on it but of course they just wanted to bring out the black one to make a story. People are still gonna drink it and if I was black I would still drink it, People are just too sensitive and want to cry about stupid s**t. People on here say they really care about things like this but I saw a black guy on here complaining with white Italian screen name like Gotti and Capone people who would use the N word when reffering to black people so whats the difference. I see black comedians who say some racist and derogatory jokes about white people and that doesn’t stop me from watching them. I guess some people are that insecure about themselves.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/halandale124/ halandale124

    OMG!!! We are now looking for problems. I am 21 years old and have beed drinking that since I was about 8. In the haitian community that is an extremly popular drink. Winn-Dixie has been selling it for years and now its a issue??? Seriously get over that s**t

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/DEELICIOUS44/ DEELICIOUS44

    i never seen dis soda no where nt in target or walmart so watevea im done

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Callmepapi585/ Callmepapi585

    They need to change the image. I wouldnt buy it!!!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/uptownflirt122/ uptownflirt122

    its a white and black person on the soda can.the images can be better thats all.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/goodguygohard/ goodguygohard

    Just to reiterate for those non-caribbean decent, it’s BEEN out. WE haven’t had a prob wit it cause it wasn’t in our minds as that type of portrayal. of course, WE are aware of the racial view of african people around the world but we rep us and our people, not let the imagery of things around us…but still fight the racism where it’s needed…like, say…THE MUSIC INDUSTRY? …but you don’t wanna talk about that, do you?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/okkii69/ okkii69

    I’m black American and when I saw it I thought it was cute. I would make a good party drink at the beach while playing basketball. We gotta stop thinking that everything is racist, it’s just a girl eating a watermelon.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/miss_purple_haze67/ miss_purple_haze67

    NO NOT RACIST.
    SMH CALM DOWN PEOPLE!!
    IF SHE WAS A LIGHT SKIN BLACK GIRL, THERE WOULD BE NO PROBLEM.
    ITS JUST A CUTE DARK SKIN GIRL.
    DARK SKIN IS BEAUTIFUL TOO.
    SMH, THIS MAKES ME UPSET, NOT CUZ ITS ‘rACIST’, IM SAD THAT SOME OF STILL HATE OUR SKIN.
    THE BLACKER THE BERRY THE SWEETER THE JUICE.
    +PLUS THAT SODA IS GOOD…
    IF YALL MAKE THEM PULL THE SODA OFF THE SHELF I’LL BE PISSED!!!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/KassaundraV/ KassaundraV

    That is just the Devil trying to creep into our minds. I believe that who ever designed this can knew exactly what they were drawing, and the purpose for which they drew it. All I can say is that we as people have to stand up for what we believe in and not give companies the lead way they have to produce these images. It’s not fair that we as individuals not just African Americans still get judge by the color of our skin. We have to put a stop to this!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/LadyTazz/ LadyTazz

    Honestly, I think that this is ridiculous, when i looked at the footage I saw a white boy on some of the cans as well, but are white people running out saying that this is a racist gesture, come on be real. We cannot call everything racist. We complain when all we see on advertisement is white people but when a black person is on something we mope and grime about it. Grow up and get a life IT’S NOT THAT SERIOUS. I mean when I saw it it did not offend me because IT’S NOT THAT SERIOUS.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/new_year_new_things/ new_year_new_things

    see to me just having newsone put up those obama pic’s is exactly what whoever made the pics wanted….

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/jorgeoscarvelazquez/ jorgeoscarvelazquez

    They sell that soda here in florida for years even when I was a kid,, that soda from florida I think, back in the day you find that soda in the hood now it’s evry where wow even in new york.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/war_of_words/ war_of_words

    Yeah, newsone obviously wants to put anyting up that will get a story. This one worked.

    Other people can do what they want, if the want to support it… go for it.

    As for me… It’s just distasteful. Call it racism or whatever… The picture on the cans look far too much like the Obama shirts. This is why I can’t stand to look at it. Looks to much like that.

    People can do what they want. I can’t make anybody not support it. Nobody can make me support it.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/JMon22/ JMon22

    FYI: the soda is tasty plus 225th Street is in the BRONX not Harlem boo. Just wanted to put that out there.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Hokage-Sama69/ Hokage-Sama69

    smfh…why are we talking about racist beverages…i dont give a damn, as long as it taste good. an that doesnt even look racist. only thing thats wrong with that soda is why the hell is there a watermelon flavor??? sounds nasty. i hate watermelon.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/jhillblessed/ jhillblessed

    I do think this is racist and stereotypical. I think its good that us as blacks say what we feel being that for so long the joke has been on us. I can’t compare myself to whites because they have never been enslaved and belittled in this country therefore if something stereotypical is said about them it’s easier for them to to dismiss because their “on top.” Whites act clueless to the racist innuendos they use so that shifts the blame to us like we’re not acting ratiional,do the history and any cognant person will see the truth. Also they should have just put the white kid on the soda reconizing the historical images of inferiority that the black child poses.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/l0v3-s3x-n_magiic/ l0v3-s3x-n_magiic

    if i saw correctly, they had a white boy on the can too right??
    i dont think its too racist

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/dottie_03/ dottie_03

    HEC YEA..WHY COULDNT THEY PUT SUPERMAN ON THAT DRINK..SALES MY AZ
    I NEVER KNEW BLACK PPL AND WATERMELON WAS AN ACTUAL RACIST ISSUE UNTIL THAT PIC OF THE WHITEHOUSE AN WATERMELON SMH UGHHH WHEN ARE THEY GOIN TO LEARN

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Dark_Zero/ Dark_Zero

    It is ashame that many of you do not know that White America is disrespecting you. It is sad and no wonder why other races don’t respect us. We have been trained to be so submissive and ignorant to what’s in front of our eyes. You don’t see Pepsi, Coca Cola, and Sprite coming out with with faces on their cans. They had sense to use logos and creative design. For those of you who don’t think this is racist, need to read your history and understand that you are a human being that deserves respect as well. This is horrible and Target supports this? Even since Obama became President, racism has shown it’s ugly head, and it is sad because people cannot take that a man that is non white in the white house.

    I didn’t even know all of this racist clothing was out last year. A shirt with a monkey eating a banana and called Obama? Yeah America has changed so much right?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/YoungEx19/ YoungEx19

    Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t there a black face on one side and a white face on the other? This issue is overblown. This kind of heated passion needs to be saved for real racism. Ever heard of the boy who cried wolf? If people waste time hollering over a non-issue like this, imagine what credibility will be like when a real issue comes up? Not good at all!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/timhoward5/ timhoward5

    that is the dumbest question i ever saw it’s not near racist I’m black I eat watermelon and drink soda. I also drunk that soda before. If you look closely at 0:15 and 2:25 you also see a white boy eating watermelon. People are just trying to start watermelon was made by God for Humans like black girls and white boys and all people of all racist racism is still alive but, that wasn’t near racism.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/najaca/ najaca

    This is wrong, but hilarious! Its so racist that I can’t help but laugh. Wow. I could analyze this to death, but seriously, we should laugh at how stupid some “other” people are. We should have the last laugh and shake our heads.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Deeeeeee7/ Deeeeeee7

    If we let this happen; we deserve it! Always complaining and no action… What the F*ck are we gonna do about this? Let me guess…ummm… drink it. Makes me sad for my daughter.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/najaca/ najaca

    Also, although black folks eating watermelons, has long been derogatory. The fact is, watermelons are native to Africa. They were brought brom Africa and cultivated, through the Columbian exchange. Many other foods, like peanuts originate from Africa. Not to downplay the story, just stating the truth and sharing some knowledge. :)

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/cmsblack/ cmsblack

    Actions begin with a thought. Images influence thinking. The reason this image is offensive to some African Americans is due to the history of racism that causes one group to think it is superior to another group.

    Go to the library and see if they have copies of popular magazines from the late 1800′s through about 1950. You will find lots of advertisements with wording that pushes the idea of black people being lazy and sitting around doing nothing.

    If you research further, you may find postcards with photos of Black people who had been lynched with white mobs proudly posing below them. There are postcards and ads with drawings that show black babies about to be eaten by crocodiles.

    Now look at some of the hot topics to the right of this screen. There’s a story about a stranger, a white man, that slapped a Black woman’s child in Walmart. There’s another story about three white men who saw an elderly Black man fishing and decided to beat him for no reason other than their enjoyment. Every week, the hot topics includes some police brutality story.

    In the Black community, when we accept or believe the negative images of ourselves, Black on Black crime becomes commonplace, because we don’t even value the lives of each other.

    Fortunately in this society, many people are trying to move away from the racism of the past, but to ignore examples of it, because we don’t know or understand the history behind it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.

    There’s a saying that those who don’t know their history are doomed to repeat it.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/keepitsimple/ keepitsimple

    It would have been racist if it was grape!lol. I don’t understand some of you people. You accuse America of not putting the black people out there and recognize them as part of society and as soon as they put black people on stuff its racist! WTF??? I’m confused…can someone please help me? the t’s in the pics are clearly racist but it will always be there, no matter what. Maybe in our next generation when all the people are of mixed back rounds there will be no room for racism cause no one will be white or black or asian or spanish. In my opinion I think that the direct marketers were looking for a way to appeal more to the black people and are trying to get them to buy it more then the white people or any other race. They maybe just chose the wrong way….BUT….what is the right way? WHO, WHO has that answer???? NO ONE! They do not know how to incorporate advertising with black figures in the right way cause everything is taken to offense. Would it be racist if the Kool aid man was black and tang had white people on the box? Kool aid is the bomb!! but is known to be in every black household nationwide. When I take a closer look at the pictures up top it seems like they are more made up and posted on a dumb web site for a racist joke. If I ever walked down the street and actually seen someone wearing a shirt like that, no lie…I would rip it off their back. male or female. I think people should be happy that we are changing the way we advertise these days and trying to incorporate black people into it. If people really have a problem with certain things what we should really do is go directly to the company, in the marketing department and don’t stop calling till your point is heard in a mature way and give them ideas. Its probably a bunch of white people sittin in the office, sayin “damn…Bob, Sally, John…I just don’t know how to advertise to the black people of america…I wish we had black people working here…lets see if this works”

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/0VancouverHurts/ 0VancouverHurts

    how is that racist? even if the white boy wasnt on the can, i dont see it as racist. it looks like a fun to drink to drink! lol pass me one!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/dholmes175/ dholmes175

    to jhillblessed, thats definitely the case, if us as blck plp dont see things the way you stated them in your comment, i really dont no how our culture will ever be reunited, we definitely are the most separated of all races….
    “I do think this is racist and stereotypical. I think its good that us as blacks say what we feel being that for so long the joke has been on us. I can’t compare myself to whites because they have never been enslaved and belittled in this country therefore if something stereotypical is said about them it’s easier for them to to dismiss because their “on top.” Whites act clueless to the racist innuendos they use so that shifts the blame to us like we’re not acting ratiional,do the history and any cognant person will see the truth. Also they should have just put the white kid on the soda reconizing the historical images of inferiority that the black child poses.”

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/war_of_words/ war_of_words

    Just know that I don’t support it. Looks ignorant to me.

    But if someone wants to support it. I can’t stop them.

    There are bigger issues to tackle. But that’s doesn’t mean we can’t discuss.

    After the comments for the folks that have actually seen these cans first hand, I realize that there are white pictures too.

    The horrible artwork is just a turn off for me, either way you look at it.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/sk_baby1/ sk_baby1

    i really dont think its rasict because why would it have a picture of a white boy on the other side?????

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/war_of_words/ war_of_words

    And what I’m I going to do about it?

    Voice my free opinion. And not buy the drink.

    And mean mug anybody I see drinking it.

    No, just joking about the mean mug part. But serious about the rest.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/DA_GEORGETOWN_MAYOR/ DA_GEORGETOWN_MAYOR

    I DONT KNOW BOUT IT BEING RACIST, BUT “IT SHO LOOK GOOD” IT MAKES ME THIRSTY!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/war_of_words/ war_of_words

    People from Vancouver coming in that, really haven’t experience racism coming in commenting. *smh*

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/0VancouverHurts/ 0VancouverHurts

    smh shut ur ignorant ass up

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/0VancouverHurts/ 0VancouverHurts

    how is it horrible artwork? thats what africans look like in general, u ashamed of who u r?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/keepitsimple/ keepitsimple

    I just have to add that you CAN NOT say one race is more lazy then the next! Come to Canada and you will see how many nasty lazy sit around and live on gov assistance white people there are! What about the trailer park trash that live all over the states and are white? Black people lazy?? I think not. There is good/bad, lazy/productive, waste of life/ do big things in EVERY RACE known to man. We are human and depending on what part of the world we evolved from we gained certain traits due to many factors like, hair, skin colour, height, density, body shape and the list goes on. Just horrible that we can not just all live as people on this planet. It is HUMAN RACE…A dog is a dog and comes in many breeds, do you think they are racist? No…a dog will f**k any dog…big small, short, fat, black, white, spotted, striped.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/0VancouverHurts/ 0VancouverHurts

    the only ppl who take offense of wat the can looks like, is really ashamed of themselves. i dont think its offensive, i think it looks crunk! ;) pour me up!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/sk_baby1/ sk_baby1

    0VancouverHurts
    9-8-2009 10:30 pmhow is that racist? even if the white boy wasnt on the can, i dont see it as racist. it looks like a fun to drink to drink! lol pa** me one!

    If the white boy wasnt on there than it would be racist

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/keepitsimple/ keepitsimple

    who the hell is 0VancouverHurts talking to? see. she is a dumb racist white b***h!!! Bout That’s what africans look like in general OMG I am so Offended and I am not even black! WTF!!! That is just like someone putting a white kid on it and black people say..what, that’s how y’all look you ashamed of it. So I guess Kobe Bryant and Method Man look alike or Cassidy Looks like Jay Z? Or Lawrence Fishbourne looks like Barrack Obama??? Come on my girl, grow the f**k up!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/war_of_words/ war_of_words

    keepitsimple – People being lazy has nothing to do with this subject. What does that have to do with anything?

    OVancouverHurts – the fact that you think that this is what Africans look like in gernal speaks volumes.

    You obviously have never experienced racism, and are racist yourself to the perception of what Africans look like. So you get mad and call me ignorant for discerning that.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/0VancouverHurts/ 0VancouverHurts

    how is it racist skbaby? explain urself b4 u speak. do u have a problem with a black girl eating watermelon on the face of a can? what exactly is wrong with that? then yall would be gettin upset sayign why is there a white girl on the can instead of a blk one. lol

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Caramel_STL_Shawty68/ Caramel_STL_Shawty68

    I Don’t Think It’s Racist, And 2 Be Honest It’s About Time Products Like This Which Feature Black People On Them Are In The Main Stream Markets And Stores Such As Target and Not Forced 2 Be Exclusively In Tha Back Alley, Corner Stores! And Yes It Looks Mighty Gud Yall… ;-)

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/war_of_words/ war_of_words

    @ keepitsimple – thank you for keeping it real.

    The woman who said this reminds me of the 50s sums it up to me.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Mr_Patches/ Mr_Patches

    Yupp it’s definitely racist. By now I assume we all know the history behind the stereotype “Black people love watermelon”. If you can’t see that this drink is racist, I have nothing to say to you.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/keepitsimple/ keepitsimple

    people being lazy was to a comment someone else left. i was adding to another post i put up

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/war_of_words/ war_of_words

    @ Caramel

    Where you been. There are already product featuring black people out.

    Cereal boxes. Mountain dew boxes. happy meals. I can go on and on.

    Just no jacked up picture of black people.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/CNoriega/ CNoriega

    It cant be that racist if there’s a white guy eating a watermelon on the other side.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/0VancouverHurts/ 0VancouverHurts

    u r ignorant bcuz u dont know if ive been treated racist or not and yes i have. and im racist bcuz i know what a african looks like??????? lol

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/0VancouverHurts/ 0VancouverHurts

    if u look at the majority of the comments honey u will see most think its not racist. so lighten up and enjoy life. :D

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/sk_baby1/ sk_baby1

    It just is. Nothing should be wrong with it, but the simple fact that some people see that as a joke when you say anything about black person and watermelon in the same sentence.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/jhollins/ jhollins

    0VancouverHurts you are very misinformed young lady. I don’t know if you were born and raised in this country but for many African Americans those types of images cut like a knife. Those images were used and put forth to belittle, degrade and to make our grandparents and our parents look inferior on a grand scale. So an image you find it “cool” to joke about was used as a tool of degradation. So please do us all a favor and educate yourself before you call someone else ignorant. Unless you’re one of those who takes pride in not knowing…but that’s a whole different issue :)

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/war_of_words/ war_of_words

    That fact that you think all Africans look alike is volumes of ignorance.

    And no. Africans don’t look that that.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/setphanie1_on_1/ setphanie1_on_1

    its just so sad how are generation is just going down hill && for those who dont think this is racist and it just sad but i mean i cant speak on everyones behalf but to me it is and im a very in tune with my culture and very intelligent to know what this means && i mean by ppl of the community that say it aint races is just making it okay to do stuff like this..&& for that this will be the beginning for ppl to go to the extreme and just do whatever that want && downgrade african americans however && i dont think thats right at all but thats just my opinion…

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/keepitsimple/ keepitsimple

    You are racist for saying all africans look alike! What about Jamaicans or Trinidadian’s or any other carribean island or Black Italians or Black Ricans…..should I go on? Black is not just African anymore….not for hundreds of years and if you want to get very specific we ARE ALL AFRICAN at some point. Once the world was all joined and we could walk from canada to africa to china by foot. Get on google and educate yourself. What racisim have you expierenced in Vancouver? being too white?? My father lives In Vancouver. i think you may be mistaking angry black people talkin s**t outta anger for racisim. We in CANADA my girl….nothing like The USA.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Motown_Lovely1/ Motown_Lovely1

    My heart breaks for the comments I have read posted by Blacks on this article. The word complacent comes to mind and it explains why Black people will always be looked down apon and not taken seriously by others. The fact that anyone would not see the underlined racist tone behonf the marketing of this drink is beyond sad. It tells me that so many of you are uneducated about your history. And if you do have knowledge of our history in this country beyod slavery and see nothing wrong then your just a bad as the uneducated. That would signify that you don’t care how we as Blacks are portrayed. The image on that can is what southern whites used to refer to Black children as Pickaninnyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Picaninny_Freeze.jpgAlthough

    “the term was used generally, it came to refer to the associated stereotype of African American children. “Picaninnies had bulging eyes, unkempt hair, red lips and wide mouths into which they stuffed huge slices of watermelon.”[1] The Picaninny was distinguished by its young age, male or female. “They were also half dressed and animalistic. The picaninny was seen as one of a multitude of black children.”

    The quote came from the same site as the pic. But if you don’t think the site is accurate enough do your research.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Motown_Lovely1/ Motown_Lovely1

    My heart breaks for the comments I have read posted by Blacks on this article. The word complacent comes to mind and it explains why Black people will always be looked down apon and not taken seriously by others. The fact that anyone would not see the underlined racist tone behind the marketing of this drink is beyond sad. It tells me that so many of you are uneducated about your history. And if you do have knowledge of our history in this country beyond slavery and see nothing wrong then your just a bad as the uneducated. That would signify that you don’t care how we as Blacks are portrayed. The image on that can is what southern whites used to refer to Black children as Pickaninny

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Picaninny_Freeze.jpgAlthough

    “the term was used generally, it came to refer to the a**ociated stereotype of African American children. “Picaninnies had bulging eyes, unkempt hair, red lips and wide mouths into which they stuffed huge slices of watermelon.”[1] The Picaninny was distinguished by its young age, male or female. “They were also half dressed and animalistic. The picaninny was seen as one of a multitude of black children.”
    The quote came from the same site as the pic. But if you don’t think the site is accurate enough do your research.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/0VancouverHurts/ 0VancouverHurts

    maybe if it was 1909 the can would be a problem but its 2009! jhollins get wit da program! theres more problems in life. i tihnk all da racism against obama is a bigger issue!!!!!!!!!!!!!! dont yall agree? lets care about our fckin president instead of a fckin soda can.! can we? sk_baby i also find chicken and blk ppl in the same sentence funny as hell also koolaid i love that one!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/war_of_words/ war_of_words

    Racist or not. I will not be supporting it. It’s not like I need to call the NAACP over it. But I won’t buy it. And I won’t even shop at a store that sells it.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/0VancouverHurts/ 0VancouverHurts

    keepitsimple – u r goin in toooooooo deeep!! i am far from racist. white?????????? im darker than ur skin will ever be. i never said all africans look like that, i said in general they do! and can somebody explain to me what is wrong with the image??????? she is dark skin with braids and big lips so what???? what is offensive bout it? i think shes a damn cutie pie. so please dont judge me.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/jhollins/ jhollins

    0VancouverHurts it’s very easy for those who don’t have to deal with having African skin everyday in a country that based on white empowerment to dismiss to say something as ignorant as “get with the times”. I’m a well to do AA male who gets watched by his neighbors day in and day out because they don’t feel I should be able to afford to live where they do. My closest friend was gunned down by white police officers (he was unarmed) just for being black in the wrong neighborhood. So how dare you even talk to me like racism doesn’t exist. Racism is as American as apple pie and gun violence and until all of the people in this country accept it and deal with it. We will remain stagnant as country no matter who is in office. There’s more important things for you to worry about because you don’t wear the skin I’m in. If you delusional program is the one I have to get with I’ll pass. Also…go and make a chicken/watermelon joke to a random blk person and see what reaction you get…ignorance is truly bliss…wow! *fail*

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/glorifiedangel/ glorifiedangel

    WHAT THEY FAIL TO DO ON HERE IS POST THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SODA WHICH HAS A WHITE GIRL ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BLACK, ITS FUNNY HOW THESE PEOPLE TRY TO COME UP WITH DUMB S**T TO PUT ON HERE AS NEWS. THESE SODAS ARE USUALLY ONLY SOLD IN CARRIBEAN MARKETS SO NOT QUITE SURE HOW TARGET GOT A HOLD OF THEM. EITHER WAY IT DON’T MATTER BECAUSE THAT PICTURE HAS NOTHING TO DO W/ NOTHING.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Da_Epitome_of_Thick_/ Da_Epitome_of_Thick_

    Every Time something about Race comes up.. Everybody wants to voice their foolish ass opinions… When Nobody really cares what any of us think… Cause if they did… They wouldn’t have made the damn product in the first place… It just is what Da F**k It Is… There is a Pick ninny Who’s Black as Tar eating a whole half of watermelon on the damn can… How in Da Hell could this NOT be raciest?!… And to all those Lost ass people who seem to think Racism is Dead… Child the only thing dead is your Brain… Just because you don’t see it cause you CHOOSE NOT TO… Does Not mean that the rest of us Don’t… I suggest you take a good look at Life and in doing so you will see all the underline White Supremacy that surrounds Every aspect of the world we live in… If you don’t then again… Who really Gives a F**k… Cause they themselves know Damn well that Not all of us are that Slow or Extremely Stupid as to Not see this s**t for what it truly is… Thats whats wrong with Nigga’s Now… You claim you wont stand for just anything, Yet your dumb asses Fall for Everything… And although I love all My Dumb Ass Nigga Brothers & Sister… That does not excuse ya’ll From My Hatred of Ignorance and all it’s supporters.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/jhollins/ jhollins

    0VancouverHurts by the way we’re going too deep racism is a very deep issue it’s far from cosmetic (which you are addressing it as such). So if you touch on an issue as serious as this don’t expect people not to go in on you. Especially when you make the kind of ignorant statements you’re making. It normally is a deeper issue than most people with limited intellectual capabilities can deal with.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Tried-N-True/ Tried-N-True

    0VancouverHurts: Ignorance is bliss isn’t it….!? This harkens back to the early 1800′s to 1900′s when advertisers used denigrating caricatures of Blacks to sell their products. It is an insult, a disgrace and insensitive to the many leaps and bounds Blacks have had to overcome. So much for change huh? As they say; the more things change, the more they remain the same.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/0VancouverHurts/ 0VancouverHurts

    thanks glorifiedangel, i like ppl who talk sense. jhollins, i drink koolaid with my niccaz eryday so i dont know what the fck ur talkin bout!!!!! koolaid and chicken is not racist its culture. and how u gon talk about me like u know me???? i have dark skin too, everytime i walk into a shop i get eyed all the time not bcuz of my good looks but bcuz they scared im goin to jack something cuz i usually dont look glamoursou when im out at the corner store pickin up a pack of cigs, i usually am scrubbed out lookin like a bum and ppl think i dont have money and im goin to steal! lol i expereince racism every frickin day and thats where this anger i have comes from. there has been more articles on bp where i found racist like the doll with lil monkey on her forhead i did not like that one and found that extrmely racist but my opinion on a soda can is not harmful …. soo hate it or love it..its called havin an opinion…and please dont ever say again that i havent expereinceed racism when u dono what the fck i go thru.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Tha_Protege1/ Tha_Protege1

    If this soda is racist…then every recent Fruit of The Loom commercial is racist!!! I mean come on….why cant society take this as a new roduct on the market and then match its success with the general population of the public who likes the product, then mark it with the racism title is necessary…and watermelon soda is nothin new anyways…we been had it out here in our local grocery stores for the longest…quite good actually if i might add. but i dont think its proper to label it a stereotype or as racist without knowing the demographics of who the product appeals to.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/jhollins/ jhollins

    I don’t know you at all, all I know is you continue to show your ignorance with every word you type on this topic. Classic Jerry Springer line “You don’t know me” smh. You are so right…I don’t care to know you either. What I do know is you’re not the the brightest crayon in the box. I can’t even consider what you’re spewing an opinion it’s just good old fashion niggadry at it’s finest.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/As_Gud_As_It_Gets/ As_Gud_As_It_Gets

    I really dont agree that its racist. They failed to talk about the little white boy on the other side of the can. Is that racist too? I have zero tolerance for racism but i really dont agree that its that serious. And they only showed the public the one side of the can. Come on find something else to be mad at.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/lambzie/ lambzie

    It’s not a surprize to me that we as black african or caribbean (in my case) decent would be quite upset with this drink, and could find hundreds of words to describe the odasity of this company who printed this logo, stereotyping blacks and watermelons…what up with that?? I’m very sure that no one of the black african decent would buy this drink, even if there are deading from thirst. I don’t even like watermelon, and I’m sure that there are thousands, if not millions of black people who don’t like watermelon either, but on the flip side, It’s quite funny to me how our race reacts to thing like this, but at the same time would call one another “nigga” like it’s a righteous greeting, killing one another, dis-respecting one another-even worse than the same people we call racist. Now mind, I’m not saying that all blacks act in this manner because I don’t, but as soon as something racist comes to light, we then remember how much it hurts us. Coming from ancestors who had to run, hide, and fight for our freedom, and my father who actually lived in the era when he could not even look at a white person, I take this very serious. This is the reason why things like this can be processed, printed, and shipped into the very same store that we spend OUR earned money in. If we barely don’t care about how we treat one another, why is this drink such a big issue? This situation is much bigger than this can of watermelon soda with a rude black face on it. We as black people have to remember where we are coming from, and who we are, then things like this wouldn’t even be able to surface in the public eye. This is my opinion. Blessed Love

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/B-B-Dubyuh/ B-B-Dubyuh

    To be honest, I agree with some of the posts here. I’m a little less offended knowing there’s a white girl/boy on the other side. I’d be more offended if it was just the black girl… Would I buy the product? Hell no. Just my opinion…

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/war_of_words/ war_of_words

    0Vancuouver you are truly confused on the meaning of racism.

    People judging you because you’re “usually am scrubbed out lookin like a bum” is not racism.

    It my not be right, but that’s not racism.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/ginadassas/ ginadassas

    I like that soda & I been drinking that soda for years & it taste good. I’ve always known that they sell this soda at caribbean stores but I never seen them at actual stores such as target. Really you all need to stop trippin because racism never left & it probably never will!! As far as the soda goes, I don’t think it’s racist & that’s just my opinion.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/war_of_words/ war_of_words

    lambzie,

    I agree with you whole post to a tee.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/jhollins/ jhollins

    Note to everyone: I’m not even going in on the soda I would never support that sh**t by the way. I have an extreme disdain for ignorant people no matter what color their skin is. I don’t usually post comments on any sites but this chicks comments we’re so idiotic I felt compelled to do so.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/war_of_words/ war_of_words

    @ jhollins.

    exactly

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/lsmith1981/ lsmith1981

    subliminally it is a Racist thing..Look at tone Microsoft add that was released here in the States, and the Polish Version, The US Version had a Black Man Smiling in a business meeting…the Polish ad The Black man was gone replaced by a White man. Hmmmm Who’s your Leader now?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Martin2MM/ Martin2MM

    I LIKE THE SHIRT THAT SAYS “OBAMA IS MY SLAVE” I THINK ITS REAL NICE AND THE MONKEY DOLL OF OBAMA IS CUTE…

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/lambzie/ lambzie

    I’m really glad that you do war_of_words. Give thanks.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Luxurious_02/ Luxurious_02

    uhhhh yea that soda is racist as hell. If someone says that it is not, they are blind and ignorant and don’t care whether they stay that way either. Some of yaw need to research the history(Jim Crow Museum) of the way whites use to sell certain products(degrading blacks in any way they could for laughs or entertainment). To the people that says ” it’s 2009 not 1909, so it’s not that serious” type of bs…shut your dumb ass up! That’s what makes it even more worse and serious because it is 2009 and they’re still doin the same racist ass s**t as they always have many centuries ago. This is another reminder for yaw ignorant people that there is still much racism in the world, in which white people mastered at, and still remains and for plenty more centuries to come, i’m sure. It’s not the appearance of the child on the soda that’s racist it’s the whole image in itself. It goes back centuries, to where the stereotype of “black people” and “watermelon” came about. Watermelon is an african melon.But during slavery, blacks seemed to eat more watermelon because many slave masters wouldn’t allow them to drink water. So slaves would grow their own patches. So because of that, white people created the stereotype that only black people eat watermelon. However, everyone on the plantation ate it, including the masters.It seems we are always the only ones linked to this type of image. We are not the only type of people that like watermelon. i never really seen a little white girl or other race choppin down on some watermelon for an ad. So when people distribute ads like these, it is racist, because it reminds us of the struggle of African/Black/African-American enslavement in america, and as i said before, some of yaw ignorant people need the reminder.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Martin2MM/ Martin2MM

    White people always doing some fu.cked up shi.t to Blacks, but blacks still love da white folks and hate more on the hispanics like we the ones doing shi.t …smh::::::::….:::::…..:::::….::::….::::::: ….. …. ::::::: …. ::: ……

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/KING_DRE_09/ KING_DRE_09

    I woulda threw the can at the person who said it wasnt racist !

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/IamYourGod/ IamYourGod

    The soda is what it is but there are some racist involved in that packaging design.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/kidnoti/ kidnoti

    This issnt racist at all. There is a white kid eatin the watermelon too! Does anyone realize that!!??

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/0VancouverHurts/ 0VancouverHurts

    lol@martin….so true…we gotta kiss up to wwhite folks cuz they run this s**t

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/missharris1/ missharris1

    I agree the flavor of the soda isnt racist but when you pair it with a ‘Buckweed” looking lil black girl on one side it looks really racist and for Target to pick this product up with it’s design image im very surprised. And just because theres a white kid on the other side doesnt mean there not trying to be racist, they probably did that just to throw people off from thinking their actually being racist.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Arrielle2007/ Arrielle2007

    People, ITS A DAMN SODA. What is wrong with them putting a picture of a person that looks like its consumers. That soda is made and disributed in Haiti. If anything I find it surprising that they sell it in Target but there is nothing racist about that soda. THe label was made to reflect that of its consumers. Simple as that. Everything doesnt have to be racist. Put out the torches.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Vertigo2001/ Vertigo2001

    Ritz should put someone of trailer trash on the front of their box like Larry The Cable Guy. You know those crackers can sell (:

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/thuggirl_25_03/ thuggirl_25_03

    For all these ppl that from the island who said this isn’t racist…YOU REALLY NEED TO DO YOUR RESEARCH AND SEE THE PICTURES OF US THE WHITE MAN WOULD PUT OUT OF US TO MAKE FUN OF US….ITS SO FUNNY I KNOW SOMEONE FROM THE ISLAND AND SHE SAID SHE NEVER EXPERIENCE RACISM UNTIL SHE CAME HERE…SO YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND STAND THE AMERICAN CULTURE AND YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND IT….THE WHITE MAN MADE YOU BLIND TO SEE THAT THEY ARE REALLY MAKING FUN OF YOU FO REAL…YA’LL NEED TO LEARN YOUR HISTORY ESPECIALLY OUR BLACK YOUTH….NOONE IS PULLING OUT THE RACE CARD….IF A WHITE MAN GETTING ON VIDEO AND SAY IT’S OFFENSIVE AND HE’S LOOKING AT THE CAN AND HE ISN’T BLACK AT ALL HE SEEN THE WHOLE CAN YOU KNOW IT’S OFFENSIVE….AND JUST BECAUSE IT HAS THE WHITE KID ON THERE DON’T MEAN SHYT…WHY WOULD I BUY SOMETHING THAT MAKES FUN OF MY PEOPLE…THEY NEED TO CHANGE THE IMAGE ON THE CAN BECAUSE THAT IS OFFENSIVE REAL TALK….YA’LL NEED TO GOOGLE SHYT AND GO TO A LIBRARY TO REAL UP ON YOUR HISTORY AND ESPECIALLY YOU ISLAND FOLKS YA’LL NEED TO LOOK UP THOSE IMAGES AND THEN YOU WILL SEE WHY PPL ARE GETTING MAN AND THEY ALSO DID IT WHEN OBAMA GOT ELECTED….PPL DO YOUR RESEARCH….THANK YOU

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Luxurious_02/ Luxurious_02

    Oh yea for the people that’s like, “There’s a lil white boy on the back too so it’s not that racist”: Ever heard of a cover up of what something is really about? How bout they have only that white boy on there or have them next to each other eating(if their idea was of racial harmony to sell) but they didn’t. And as far as making the image for the “consumer” comment, obviously it is not only sold on the islands, and only ignorant people would actually keep buying this product because whether you feel it’s racist or not, it is, simply as that. Google “Jim Crow Museum” which shows intentionally racist photos and characters, their are split images of what’s on that soda. My island black people, you done went through the same thing as african americans, so for you to think that it’s not racist is sad. It is not just a damn soda, if thats the case, when white people put out many ads degrading black people, it was ok to think, “oh it’s just black shoe polish called n****r polish or just black ink called n****r milk!”

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/ashanti23/ ashanti23

    This is an old soda, it’s been around for years. I remember drinking it in grade school. So there is a image of a black girl AND a white boy on the can. If it was two other races on the can would “you” call it racist? Would you buy it? If they removed both images or just the one of the black girl and said “sorry” would it be ok? I’m just sayin!

    I think it’s time to let this crap go!!!! It’s bout to be 2010, and I’ve got better things to do. Do you??

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Destany211/ Destany211

    If a white boy was eating a watermellon, no it wouldnt get looked at the same…where do these people come from. LOl Im going back on my first post from page 2 (and others im reading) but Seriously its crazy to read and see how many people over 30 are looking at this like ‘so what, where did the whole watermellon thing come from anyway’ hahah Where in the world are you people from?! LOL Helloo… you go down south right now and surely any rasist white man or woman would tell you the ansewer to that! LOL I have old coworkers that would laugh and say I was the first black person they knew that didnt eat it and I knew where they were getting at. No i didnt get uptight but I laughed and got the picture.
    Seems like some people that are under 25 have little knowledge or concern about the past and the camouflaged present. Some are basically saying just because its from the Caribbean its all good, by it sell it, stock it on the shelf. Like we need another reason to get picked at. Cause I tell you what, if I seen this at work, its considered offensive. The picture looks like a white kid, BUT she is BROWN chocolate brown. I know where the can originated but get the picture and the message. Anyone looking at it like its no big deal is a sleep walker making excuses. Not for nothing the topic of this was JUST CURIOUS to get everyones opinion. Thats what blogs do so it is what it is. I cant read anymore because the ignorance of not knowing is massive and I cant handle how many people are still sleep lol

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Destany211/ Destany211

    We as people can let it go, but the image is as plane as day and open for discussion anywhere someone sees it, be it at work on someones desk,,,it could be considered offensive so there is something wrong with it. I dont care if Jesus was on the other side

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/_Honor_/ _Honor_

    i, hands down, definitely think that that is a racist advertisment for that soda…but whats with the little white boy on the other side? were they going for a double negative kind of think where one just cancels out the other? i dont understand why there is something like this available ANYWHERE.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/moniQTee/ moniQTee

    It may not be racist to islanders because watermelon is not a fruit that is sought out in the Caribbean, but rather fruits like papaya and mango, coconut and pineapple are more popular. The truth is a Black person from outside of the US and with background from elsewhere was not exposed to the same racial torment that happened here in the US. There was no “Jim Crow” in the islands. For the most part, the African was allowed to maintain the culture; that part was not lost unlike the US. Now Im not saying that doesn’t mean that we who know better shouldn’t take it into account, but you cant fault them for not understanding. More time should be spent teaching why these products should not be supported. For example, I do not recall any “Blackface” in the culture I group in or any historical doc**entation of such things where my family comes from. I

    I keep telling African Americans that Black people from other places ARE different culturally and yes, ethnically. So we will not understand things the same way, even if it can be detrimental. The first thing we need to do, the same thing I keep saying, is to UNLEARN the status quo and then LEARN some things about WHO WE ARE racially. Learn from the past. Stop repeating it, and give ourselves some more damn credit. That comes along with MORE SELF RESPECT as Black people.

    We are always the first to dog each other and down one another. Why do you think it is so easy for these people to market and sell these hateful “products?” We don’t even trust ourselves enough to see something like this and stand together by boycotting these products. We have become so complacent and have lost all of our dignity.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Martin2MM/ Martin2MM

    ………………. ….. /´¯/)
    ……………….. ..,/¯ ..//
    ……………….. ./… ./ /
    …………./´¯/’ …’/´¯ ¯`•¸
    ………./’/…/… ./… …./¨¯\
    ……..(‘(…´(.. /…… ,~/’…’)
    ………\………. ….. ..\/…./
    ……….\… …. ….. . _.•´
    …………\……. ….. ..(
    …………..\….. ….. …\ …………. ALL OF U…I HOPE THEY MAKE MORE PRODUCTS LIKE THIS, THATS WAT U ALL GET FOR LOVING WHITE PEOPLE SO MUCH & HATIN ON HISPANICS…….. SMALL BRAINED TURDS……..

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Culture/ Culture

    PLAIN AND SIMPLE IT IS RACIST. IT IS SO FUNNY, JUST BECAUSE BLACK PEOPLE EATS WATER MELON, IT IS NEGATIVE . IT IS JUST FRUIT AND IT IS GOOD FOR YOU PLUS WHITE PEOPLE EAT WATER MELON ALSO. AMERICA IS FOR THE BIRDS!!!! WHITE PEOPLE EVEN WANTS TO RUINED THE COLOR BLACK..

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/ACEmusic954/ ACEmusic954

    can’t stop wont stop. damn a man cant have a piece of fruit no more??? unbelievable. sad part is i’ve been drinking that since i was a kid(27 now) and never knew the racism behind blacks and watermelon. so once again damn a brother cant eat a piece of fruit without being tagged???? f*ck them haters dawg. CHANGE THE CANS LOOK!!!!!!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/rodamane/ rodamane

    I’m sorry but i’m just going to b completely honest…this s**t is STUPID. You’re right, it is racist. You know why?? Because it’s MEANT to be racist. It’s meant to offend and hurt us. That’s they’re whole PLAN. When we give in to little stuff like this, we’re just making a racist person’s day. Racist cans didn’t stop Obama from becoming president, or an Asian from owning their own business, or a Latino from making a better life for their family. Racist people do stuff like this out of FEAR because colored people are actually coming up in the world, and when we focus all our attention on little things like this, it distracts us from the BIG picture, which is doing things that will ultimately PROVE that we are not those stereotypes. It’s sad because there are actually a lot of white people who are good, wholesome people, but dumb s**t like this just ruins it for the whole bunch.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/BrittAnyMzZB0sSy/ BrittAnyMzZB0sSy

    i dont know if its just me but this just makes me wanna go and eat some watermelon lol thats exactly what im gonna do i have a huge slice in the fridge from labor day yummm =),but i dont know so much about drinking that nasty s**t(watermelon soda? yuck) YOU CAN CHANGE THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES BUT YOU CANT CHANGE THE IGNORANTS IN THIS COUNRTY. REMEMBER THIS IS WHAT THIS COUNTRY WAS BUILT ON.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/mike_diesel27/ mike_diesel27

    @Martin2MM, hey you’re more than welcome to go to “Mexican Planet.com” if you like. You’re the one with the small brain. You say f**k “US” yet, you’re on BP. Take your hostility towards “us” elsewhere lil homie…

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/bigj97216/ bigj97216

    @Martin2MM
    9-9-2009 12:12 amWhite people always doing some fu.cked up shi.t to Blacks, but blacks still love da white folks and hate more on the hispanics like we the ones doing shi.t …smh
    I feel you on this. You should not base your feelings on the rantings a few nutjobs on BP. I stand with my Brown brothers and sisters even when I experience hate from them. Brown Pride.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/C4pricorn/ C4pricorn

    good article Naz, unfortunately racism will exist as long as thee world sees skin color.
    anyway, i HATE watermelon ughh.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/C4pricorn/ C4pricorn

    good article Naz, unfortunately racism will exist as long as the world sees skin color.
    anyway, i HATE watermelon ughh.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/C4pricorn/ C4pricorn

    got damm typo

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/alpo360/ alpo360

    im surprised at all the dumb ass blakk people on here sayn o its nuthn,yea cause ur an unkle tom a floor mat for these modern day cavemen. lol and to think we taught these mufukas to read and write and grow foods, and with what they learnd they do s**t like this. with out us they would have continued to grunt as a form of comunication hahaha real s**t and beat stikks and and roks and s**t together ol bed rokk lookin dirty mufukas. and idont care if its old this aint tha fukkin 50s i dont wanna see a picture of a blakk girl that looks like that periode change tha lable its 09 and u niggas that see this s**t ass ok i bet yo your lips hurt from doin so and u can kiss a white ass real good.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/EbonyBishop/ EbonyBishop

    That is foul, but I could care less because I never liked watermelon anyway. But the point should be made to this company that we are not having it and Blacks should make moves to remove this crap from the shelves.

  • http://topsy.com/tb/bit.ly/3UQmE8 Tweets that mention JUST CURIOUS: Target Sells Racist Soda? | NewsOne — Topsy.com

    [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by David Courtney, Gary Holder-Winfield, Deborah, parlance and others. David Courtney said: JUST CURIOUS: Target Sells Racist Soda? | NewsOne http://tinyurl.com/mehzn9 [...]

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Heart_Mender67/ Heart_Mender67

    Why do black people constantly play into stereotypes, there was a white child eating watermelon also. I’m not going to let ignorance keep me from enjoying the good things in life, I happen to enjoy chicken and nice cold watermelon? where’s the shame in that? Don’t let negative stereotypes that were brought about to shame us rule our lives, rise above them and use reason to make sense of the situation.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/BMCCAINE/ BMCCAINE

    i gotta get me some waffles.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Marvelous2055/ Marvelous2055

    this is funny. They got a white hick on the other side to. thats racist. why are ppl still tring to find racism everywhere. aint al sharpton enough? if you dont like DONT BUY IT!!!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/GhettoIndia02/ GhettoIndia02

    LOL..THE LIL GIRL IS AS DARK AS THE WATERMELON SEEDS..NOW THATS NOT REALISTIC.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/GhettoIndia02/ GhettoIndia02

    WAIT..THERE WAS A WHITE KID EATING WATERMELON TOO?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/SYNCEREG/ SYNCEREG

    Lol that s**t is funny .And yea the other side of the can has a white hick looking kids on it come on now . Sorry to tell some of yall black folk racism aint going no where no time soon because people like you sit around and try to point out everything you think could be racist . Its like your too consumed with it that you become it . If your really about your buisness and your money Bulls**t dont bother you cause you see it every day. either you can pay it attention or let it pay you for attention

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/IMNOTPLAYIN/ IMNOTPLAYIN

    U see the white kid on the can? Man f**k this thats raceist, what are my ppl good for drinkin soda and eatin watermelon??…Thats BS, im callin the KKK on this 1

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/GMworker04/ GMworker04

    Whats offensive is the ignorance in this room… The soda has been out for roughly 20 years and now all of a sudden people are up in arms about this…I got black people telling me I’m an uncle tom for not being offended by a depiction on a soda pop can…Why don’t they reveal the company that sale this soda so we can do our own research on the said company to make an informed decision…Before we can battle the big battles, we as black folks have to get our s**t together… You wanna protest… protest the music companies… organized sports…hollywood… protest your own damn ignorance… Racism lives on both sides of the fence…the fact is most racist cry racism…the depiction obviously is offensive but not necessarily racist…

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Rican_Ma06/ Rican_Ma06

    Oh please.Why does everything have to be racist? There are plenty of stereotypes with latinos also,and we dont make that big a deal of it. I don’t see anything racist about it. Your right Marvelous, everyone tryna find racism everywhere!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/LegendBlkOne/ LegendBlkOne

    They keep kissing white people butts on daily basis and when these people don’t show any appreciation in return, they’ll go quick on calling racism. This is how pathetic and weak-minded most black people’ve become in this country. It’s a damn shame….

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Rican_Ma06/ Rican_Ma06

    I just saw the video.Theres a damn white kid right next to the black..hows that racist? lmao people need to get a life and stop making excuses about racism.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/SYNCEREG/ SYNCEREG

    Lol you know whats funny to me is that the ones calling people uncle tom generally fit most sterotypes. lol why is that?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/SYNCEREG/ SYNCEREG

    o and as for the OBAMA s**t really its very obvious that they are going to hate on my president regardless of what he does . Hell they mad cause he spoke to the kids ,whats funny was his message was positive and they still mad . The youth of america played a major part of him getting into office even the ones that couldnt vote. Key factor is he never stops to address there bulls**t and we waste time tslking about a soda can WTF?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/BIGNSEXY3-N-H/ BIGNSEXY3-N-H

    I personally would not buy that soda I think it is offensive..But hey what can one really do..racism is alive and still strong it just shows up in different ways..

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/SoularFlarez/ SoularFlarez

    STOP SHOPPING @ “TARGET”, dont spend any $$$$$ there

    shouldnt be drinkin no soda anyway, that s**t is liquid-sugar, and white-sugar is basically watered down crack.

    dont complain bout them not respecting us, when we give them our hard earned money. and dont complain bout healthcare when ya health is messed up cuz you eating a bunch of garbage.

    ps- Watermellon is an ancient afrodisiac like viagra. its a fertility symbol

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/cestleon/ cestleon

    It’s a known fact that Target makes it a point to NOT build their stores in predominately black neighborhoods. Why would this be a surprise? And for those of you assimilationist negroes that see no racism in this depiction on the can, you really need to wake the f**k up! Yeah, I know white people eat watermelon as well , but look at that pickaninny assed depiction. You can’t tell me that that picture didn’t occur to them to be racist in this day and age…

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/shawnalynnette69/ shawnalynnette69

    The can is racist – period. Ignorant people cant see it because they lack knowledge. Don’t buy it and it won’t stay on the shelves. But the black community has bigger issues to be concerned with – single parents w/ multiple fathers, rising literacy and divorce rates, black on black crime, financial instability, sexualized videos and music, etc. We should be angry about the soda can, but trust me, there’s bigger things to be concerned about.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Baby-Baby/ Baby-Baby

    Oh they think putting a little white boy on the other side of the can makes it right or make people what to buy it. Some white people will buy it as a sovenir and are still laughing. First Wal-Mart now Target. Pluck both of them.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/The_7th_Letter/ The_7th_Letter

    The can is basically an assumption pertaining to a stereotype towards black people. If you black individuals who are mad at this can found out that the owner of the company who makes this ridiculous beverage was black would you be mad still? Probably not because again like previous individuals have said in their posts blacks are always trying to find something to whine about. I didnt see any black people getting mad about chris rock saying he loves black people and hates niggas…….why is that? Wouldnt that be a racist statement if a white person said it? Whats interesting is that black poeople are more racist amongst themselves than white people will ever be because to white people you are all niggas but black people segregate based on color and then dog each other out based on different complexions of the skin within their own race. And the best thing you can do is get on here and scream at how offensive a stupid can of watermelon flavored soda is……..Its pretty pathetic and i think the can is funny personally. when dave chapelle portrayed the black white supremacist i bet everyone of you thought it was hilarious and died laughing. black people need to learn to take a joke……..someone put a pic of a little black girl on a can that says watermelon soda. Big Deal……….

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/GJayMason/ GJayMason

    The key to ending racism (unfortunately) rest in the hearts of white people.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Moscova89/ Moscova89

    They’ve been sellin this soda for years
    no lie…
    they’ve been sellin it for years in new jersey
    in newark
    and it’s my favorite kind
    why is this news worthy?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/cestleon/ cestleon

    Id be pissed at any black person that would sell out this hard. You cannot compare the point that Chris rock made to this. It’s not justifiable. What kills me is this generation is so f**kin’ lazy that we think that racism is cool. Please don’t tell me that the 7th letter is for “G” as in god! You cannot be a five percenter that chases white chicks and has this “oh it’s just a little sambo looking gal on a can it’s nothing really menatlity”.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/cestleon/ cestleon

    They also had slavery in New York and New Jersey…. Was that right?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/hugkiss09/ hugkiss09

    Ok so first of all instead of blaming the store or the company lets blame the people who started this mess (article). Simply bcuz they are only showing one side of the can like in the pic above and in the video when they show a pic of it its only of one side. Clearly its a white child on the other side and if you know anything about marketing a product you must be able to target your audience so when they came up with this idea they prob thought lets put children on here to try to attract more children. Its not a black or white thing and as much as I love my people we blow certain things out of proportion. I truly hate when we are quick to call everything racist that is why i dislike some of our so called “black leaders” it makes us look bad. We are so quick to look at what is going on with us and “ALL” our problems that we fail to look at other minorities and the racist things they endure as well. The hispanics are the fatest growing minority in this country and I am prob 90% sure most of you have said or done something racist to or about them or some other minority group. Black people just let it go and get over. And another issue just bcuz someone is speaking their opinion and it does not go along with other igonorant black ppl it does not make them an uncle tom God gave each of us a the ability to choose what we want to do and say. I’m curious to see if the “righteous” Rev. Al Sharpton will jump on this case lmbo. I guess it is time for him to get another publicity stunt lol. (I seriously hope not though)

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/The_7th_Letter/ The_7th_Letter

    cestleon I am not a five percenter and i have neve dated a white woman in my life. I am straight outta mississippi and i lived in the biloxi, i dont know how much farther down south you can possibly get so i know what the hell racism really is. I dont think racism is cool but i wll tell you as soon as black people stop being racists towards themselves white people will cease as well. Read the speech deliviered supposedly by Willie Lynch which explains to white slave owners in the 1700′s how to keep negroes segregated amongst themselves by division of the classes ie house niggas and field niggas then destroying the vision of the black man in the eyes of the black woman and getting rid of their children. I am not a five percenter I am educated and i have seen it first hand. I have been to schools that are 95 percent white and the remaining 5 percent who are minorities dont stick together yet instead segregate themselves further allowing white people to manipulate them against one another. All white people seem to know there is strength in numbers as soon as black people realize this then the hatred and racism will cease to exist. the chinese they stick together, white people stick together, but you tell me which classes of individuals are having civil war? South africans have been performing genocide on one another for centuries but white civil war was ended decades ago. If you want to have a conversation about why racism wont go away i will tell you its starts with black people standing together and a race and losing the slave mentality that has been beatin into our subconscious……..

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/SYNCEREG/ SYNCEREG

    Some of yall are just brain washed by bull s**t

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/The_7th_Letter/ The_7th_Letter

    Brain washed bullshyt or not I personally know some black people who didnt vote for Obama………but over half the people who voted for McCain knew he wasnt the better man but he was white so they stuck with him……So when will blacks learn to come together and stop crying everytime someone does something stereotypical.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/tgisis/ tgisis

    I like how no one mentioned the goofy looking white boy on the other side lol… I don’t hear white folks complaining about how goofy and stereotypically country the white boy looks right on the other side of that can. Sure it’s silly looking can, and maybe it looks a little like a minstrel show advertising but that has been in stores for years and it’s only now that people start saying something about it? That is some good watermelon soda though….

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/The_7th_Letter/ The_7th_Letter

    I might have to get my Uncle tom self a case of that and mix it with some bacardi lol everybody keep saying how good it is I am hitting the Target across the street on my lunch break

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/hugkiss09/ hugkiss09

    Yea SYNCEREG I want to know too brainwashed by what…plz xplain urself on that one

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/KandyYams/ KandyYams

    i mean I honestly dont think the can was directed at black people to be racist because look at the lil country white boy on the other side……. i think they are trynna show that country blacks and whites alike like watermelon……… but black will only see the black girl on one side of the can and not take the time to look at the other half of the picture.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/shortnsassy08/ shortnsassy08

    This is bull, why do we as black people have to put up with so much bull now this kind of s**t make me hate white people they always have something bad to say about us but then they still trying to be like us. White people need to get a life an understand when the time comes to answer to the higher source we won’t be any color but people who have sin how about that white people stop hated on us black people none of us are pure thanks to white people rape every race of woman they not pure some of them have black In laws. I would never buy this soda I don’t eat watermelon nor will I drink it if I see in a target where I live I will try to get it remove I can’t stand to see a black man or woman with a white man or woman
    so what if the kids are pretty this world will never let us be don’t let these kids be hurt because of hate.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/KandyYams/ KandyYams

    shortandsassy08 u say u cant stand to see black men or women with whites? wait didnt u just say that when we go to meet our maker color wont be an issue? so why is it an issue here on earth??????

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/timothywhite1055/ timothywhite1055

    Because something has been done for a long time does not make it right, just acceptable. I know it might not mean much, but there were slaves who did not think slavery was bad. As a people we many of us want to blend in the culture of the land, and forget where we were transported from. We did not come to this country willingly, but many of us are quick to reject what is clearly set before us in an effort to have a false sense of security.
    Its better to argue away what is before us than to be rejected by a people who only tolerates us at best. Our greatest battles will always be with our own people

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Lifeiswutumakit/ Lifeiswutumakit

    shortnsassy08 say word

    N’s tolerate everything these dumb crackuz do because they don’t love themselves. BLACK FOLKS aren’t with this bull sh*t. We’re the only ones who stick up for ourselves, while N’s sit up here and defend these stupid a** crackuz for everything they do.

    Here is what a N aka a slave loves to say…”Well, black folks do it”. Crackuz always say and do dumb sh*t, then here comes a slave saying “Well, blacks do it”. Stop being a got d*mn attorney at law for these MF’s. These crackuz need to be held accountable for what they do just like anybody else.

    And I don’t care how many times I said “crackuh” because it’s my favorite word lol Call me racist, I don’t give a f*ck. There’s a million racist crackuz for every black that doesn’t care too much for crackuz. And there’s a million N’s who don’t like blacks, don’t want to be black, say they are mixed with everything under the sun, claim to be latino, multicultural, and will get mad at you for calling them black. So who’s more racist? Look up the word intra-racism. Read it, and weep.

    I don’t shop at Target anyway. F*ck them too lol

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/KandyYams/ KandyYams

    i mean do yall really not see the white boy on the other side of the can? black people really do find excuses to say sumtin is racist man yall r really ignorant….sorry thats how i feel about it…… stop makin everything about race!!!!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/whozdatladyE/ whozdatladyE

    IF YOU LOOK, IF YOU LOOK YOU WILL FIND IT, TIME AFTER TIME:
    On September 12 I walked into a Target Store in North Fayette, there was a stereotypical “Chinaman” bowling on the shirt. Both my wife and I were really disturbed by this shirt considering the fact that the shirt was blatantly exploiting Asian racial stereotypes in a demeaning manner. 2)Target Corporation Stop Selling Racist Merchandise! Petition Sep 5, 2002 … Removal of racist merchandise off Target shelves permanently. …
    AGAIN
    A. Mar 29, 2008 … A new Target store in Columbia Heights in Washington DC decided to only put … Woe the backlash from the community who sees this as racist and being … out it has Latino employees and even some that are bilingual.
    AND AGAIN!
    B.The Target Store has been in business several years. I worked there briefly in 2004. I noticed alot of blacks applying for work, but were never hired. I asked around and was told “blacks have never worked here and never will”. A superviser named Connie (we weren’t allowed to know any bodies last name) has/had a penchant to fire people for little or no reason. Ther is a huge turnover at that store, and still no black workers!
    AND AGAIN AND AGAIN
    C. Target agreed to pay $775,000 to 13 black workers in eastern Pennsylvania in a lawsuit that alleged Target had created and condoned a racially hostile workplace because a list of 31 racist jokes that belittle blacks. There are specific references to physical appearance, sex and even Ku Klux Klan lynchings and other forms of murder. The national office of Target Stores told Team 4 it’s investigating how and why an e-mail got sent on the company computer system to more than 100 Target management employees all over western Pennsylvania. The e-mail was sent under the name of a manager at Target’s West Mifflin store last Thursday. It appears to have been intended for one person, but instead went out to every Target management employee in western Pennsylvania and West Virginia.)

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/creative2165/ creative2165

    man shut up

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/creative2165/ creative2165

    it is what it is its racist bottom line. it might be a joke but it still aint good. that is not going to cut it

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/whozdatladyE/ whozdatladyE

    CORRECTION ON THE DATE ON MY PREVIOUSE POST THIS IS THE ACTUAL COPIED INFO REFERENCED FROM:
    “To: Target Corporation and CEO Robert J. Ulrich
    This is a petition to hold Target Corporation accountable for the merchandise it sells to consumers across the United States of America.

    In late August of 2002, my wife and I were shopping at the Target Waterfront Store in Homestead, Pennsylvania. My wife was looking through the clothing department and found a shirt produced by the vendor Mossimo and sold by Target with the following text:

    “China Bowl
    Imperial Bowling and Dim Sum Establishment
    Lucky Balls Strike Hard
    With a Strike you Get an Eggroll” ”
    THE SEPTEMBER 12 WENT WITH ANOTHER ARTICLE THE SETTLEMENT ARTICLE BELOW.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/SoularFlarez/ SoularFlarez

    DONT BUY THE SODA

    DONT SHOP @ TARGET’s stores

    f**k a march
    f**k gettin all emotional about it

    just DO NOT SPEND MONEY WITH THEM !!!!!!!!
    s**t aint that complicated…..

    peace

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/SoularFlarez/ SoularFlarez

    $$$$$$$$ BLACK GREEN BLACK $$$$$$$$$

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okW4J2NK_KM

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/DaintyJen/ DaintyJen

    yawn….the ish looks nasty anyways…BUT

    Racism isn’t going anywhere..

    With that being said, people (blacks) want respect but they don’t feel like putting in the time to gain it. They don’t want to help their people and their communities get better, they just want it to “magically” happen. How can we be taken seriously with so many weak links in the chain? How can we progress as a whole with so much ignorance among our people? Yea the schools are in poor shape but that doesn’t stop the learning process-who the hell told children its ok to graffiti all over school property and school books? Proper home training goes a long way whether you’re poor, mid-class, or rich. Parents need to be worried about what their children are learning. Yea there are drugs in the communities but who is selling them? Yea there is violence in the communities but whose glorifying those lifestyles and influencing our young? Who is letting the youth run around and tear up the place? How the hell are people my age standing on the corners all damn day? It pisses me off because I’m a foster child, I have no family. But the people that do- where the hell are their parents? (they probably are somewhere bytching about equality). Regardless of the situation, I have no mother/father, brother/sister, never will have a cousin niece/nephew but I work my ass off to pay and go to school. Im tired of my weak brothers/sisters that are out here acting a fool because “they dont have anybody” or “they dont know any better”. How can those excuses be ok for anybody especially adults? My brothers/sisters stop being lazy. Blacks want equality but they dont want to help mold their lost brothers/sisters and youths to become more victorious. All these problems created by the “whites” u speak of aren’t hurting us. WE ARE LETTING THEM HURT US. Blacks have to stop bytching and stop playing the “victim” role and START BECOMING MORE EDUCATED. Not just school/books smarts but have intelligence.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/DaintyJen/ DaintyJen

    and WOW @ the little hispanic/latino (whatever makes them happy) talking about blacks…..I feel sorry for you because your logic is all messed up

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Kimakay/ Kimakay

    some of you need to shut the f*** up…If the little girl was light skin would you sent be yelling racist?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Crunchy_Blac98/ Crunchy_Blac98

    black guy right here that didnt vote for obama…i’m hoping everyday that he gets impeached…and as far as the soda can…i agree wit kandyyams…black folk just be lookin for a reason to scream racism…its just a can wit a lil black girl and a lil white boy…get a life…

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/kbiiggs/ kbiiggs

    Guys, this isn’t racist at all. I only saw one person on here, besides myself, who noticed the white kids on the other cans eating watermellon just like the black girl. However, the reporter only chose to show the black girl because it would seem racist and would provide a better story. This kind of reporting is just as bad as FOX distorting every sentence that Obama puts together.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/grown_man_jae/ grown_man_jae

    me, myself…i dont let racism get me down…if you dont let it get to you, its shows your a better person than these low life f**ks still hatin on different races…so this to shall pass

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/grown_man_jae/ grown_man_jae

    me, myself…i dont let racism get me down…if you dont let it get to you, its shows your a better person than these low life f**ks still hatin on different races…so this too shall pass

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/atzbabyjc/ atzbabyjc

    This is horrible journalism. You walk around for the most part showing people a piece of paper with one side of the can (oops forgot about the white boy on the other side) or a piece of paper with one side of the can(um once again whiteboy on the other side of the freakin can people!) and some racist images from the fifties side-by-side. To me this type of journalism is racist in that it supposes that black people can’t think outside the context of racism and do not have shrewder more complex thoughts. If I owned this target and you caused me to lose 1 penny of revenue because of your ignorant dumbass attempt to make a story I’d sue you homeless. Get a few dollars in the bank, have a few satisfying relationships, and take a trip outside of your neighborhood: It’s a big world out there baby.Stop wasting your time on non-productive racism debates ABOUT A FREAKIN SODA!!! rack me, I’m out :D

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/thecognac079/ thecognac079

    What the F**k is the world coming to!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/3citygb/ 3citygb

    At the beginning of the video when they show the can on the shelves, you can see half the can are turned to the white kid eating the watermelon and half the cans turned to the black kid eating watermelon. The guy just choose to show the side of the can with black kid. You don’t see white people in the streets showing the side with the white kid asking people if its racism. As a matter of fact, I’m going to target to buy me a can to drink for myself. I bet its good cold to. I’m going to put it in the freezer and and let it get a little ice in it mmmmmm!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/sun5flower/ sun5flower

    The soda actually tastes good. Its not been around for a while. There are more important issues to cover than soda cans. Help our kids succeed in school and our men from spending the best years of their lives in jail. Good soda, bad news story.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/sun5flower/ sun5flower

    Correction: I meant that the soda HAS been around for a while.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/guy_next_door79/ guy_next_door79

    You know what annoys me? Not that the soda looks racist (because it obviously dose). What annoys me is how everytime there is something supposedly racial it’s posted on blackplanet. As a black website, there is so many more positive things they could be wasting airtime on than helping racists to spread their hate, because that’s all you do when you constantly point something out. You give them the power to know you are thinking about what they are doing, which in turn makes them not want to stop. If someone calls you nigga and you get mad everytime that makes them want to keep doing it. Let a white person call you nigga, laugh in their face and then watch the dumb, deer in the headlights look they get when they realize it doesnt anger you. The world is full of racisim. WE KNOW THAT. We don’t need to be constantly reminded by these dumb “Hey, look what the racosts did now!” articles. Black people need to stop being so sensitive. Your sensitivity only feuls their fire to want to do or say things to provoke a reaction.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/ncgirl_15/ ncgirl_15

    DESE PPL KNO DAMN WELL THEY B DA 1ST 2 BY N DRINK DA SODA, N IT SO SILLY BCUZ OF ALL THESE OTHEA DRINK N SNACKS OUT HERE WIT WITH PPL ON THEM DONT KNO BODY POINT THEM OUT……….BT IT JUST A DRINK…….WEN WILL DA WORLD EVER LEARN……..N Y WAS THEY JUST SHOWING ON SIDE OF DA CAN…..2 ME IT SEEM LIKE IT DEEPER THAN A DAMN SODA……….GT OVA IT PPL……..DRINK DA DAMN SODA……..N KEEP MOVE’N ON WITH LIFE…IF YALL DO DIS OVA A SODA WAT WILL IT B NEXT………..TAKE A HARD LOOK @ IT PPL LOL LOL LOL

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/NASDAQ728/ NASDAQ728

    Seems like blatant racism is on the rise these days its time to start the black klu klux klan time for sum retribution retalliation and get back

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/pinktwizler/ pinktwizler

    Hell yes. I say that because i have drank soda all my life for one, for two i have never in my life saw any kind of soda can representing us in any kind of manner now all of a sudden in 2009 there’s a soda can with a black girl eating watermelon. I have about had it with all of these slick racial stupidity. I can honestly say that i now will never look at a monkey in the same manner due to the comparison between them and African Americans. When i look at us i see black beauty in all shapes and sizes. Propaganda is usually the result of people who have too much time on their hands, but hell i guess if i trusted Wall Street with my money, home and stability and i lost everything including my 401k i’d be blaming all the Black people. We know that they wouldn’t dare blame the people that are responsible, after all Who has bared the grunt of unstable caucasians? If trying to make us feel bad about ourselves makes them feel better do you. That won’t bring back all that they have lost. Look at the new low class.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/LIPS_AND_TONGUE/ LIPS_AND_TONGUE

    I am really shocked at most of the responses here on bp coming from black people. Im guessing from the non educated younger groups of people, You have to know your black history to understand the reason why this is a problem. If not them take a look at a few of spike lee movies. Yes you see the white boys face printed up there lookin just as normal, but the projection of the little black girls face is clearly and nothing but black face. I feel that weither it was from the carribean or not its shouldnt have been use because of its past reminder of black face slaves. Its just a f*&%$d up statement and i believe thats all bp was trying to put out there. We have come a long way but things like that states we really havent…It is a big deal and it should be taken off the selves or re do the pic on it.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/SYNCEREG/ SYNCEREG

    @ Crunchy_Black98

    whats up with this impeach obama s**t ? not asking because of race but i would love to know why people think that he should be impeached . To me it seem as if some of yall are just sour that your man didnt win. I mean he hasnt done anything wrong ,And the way i see it he been in office 8 months hell he still cleaning up bush trash . My question now is where the hell where yall when GWB was f**king the country up for 8yrs ? And dont you think that this is the first time a president has really done what he said he was going to do? And if he is making the wrong chooses do think he is really trying to set the US back? And since im sure you voted for McCain dont you find it alittle funny that On CNN McCain said himself that he would be doing the same thing and that Obama is on the right path? Would you be speaking all this impeach s**t if he had won?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/SYNCEREG/ SYNCEREG

    @LIPS_AND_TONGUE
    really man your a joke

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Berry_Rn/ Berry_Rn

    What the hell is NC_GIRL15 talking about? Can anyone discipher what the hell she just said? These young people and that ignorant jargon they use. Anyway. Yes the soda is offensive. I for one wont be buying it. And to Target.. SHAME ON YOU!!!!!!!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Stardune/ Stardune

    Yes it seems that way and you add the Aunt Jemma box is also racist picture but because it makes money no one ias screaming it is racist

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Crazypink69/ Crazypink69

    do you know how long dat product been on the market almost ever corner store got dat soda and im not going lie i drink it ,and it taste good.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Berry_Rn/ Berry_Rn

    Honestly.. Ive never seen the drink before in my life and I live in the South. Seems if anyone would have it in all the corner stores it would be the racists people here in NC.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/1630/ 1630

    im black myself and at one point, i would say it was racist when i saw the headline but on the other side of the can, theres a whiteboy doing the same thing… why is this overlooked? with that being said, i cant say that i find it racist at all. now dont get me wrong, i wouldnt buy the soda, but its far from racist…

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/capmic2/ capmic2

    Black Americans are so sensitive, and they wounder why they are in the situation they are in today.

    Watch the video close, there is not only a black face on the can, there is also a white face present. Don’t forget that this is a capitalistic society and Harlem is a historically African-American Burrough of New York City.

    Some if not many black people like watermelon and a capitalist will capitalize on the fact by introducing a new product to a market that has consumers who consume specialty products, like watermelon in this instance.

    It is the same as a capitalist introducing tortillas in the American Southwest with a depiction of a Mexican on the package, or a capitalist selling a box of crackers with an Anglo on the package.

    But when capitalist introduces a black person on the controversial package, weak minded, uneducated, noncontributing blacks get mad instead of being critical and that pisses me off. Criticism is the best defense for the mind. And if you are critical, you’ll realize that it really isn’t important. If the watermelon soda inventory is selling then people are buying and if it isn’t selling then the producers will stop producing, simple as that.

    From a person stand point, I like watermelon and I like chicken and I am offended in no way for liking those foods. No man words nor images can offend me based on that because those foods kept my ancestors alive during a turbulent time so I can be here; and they made the best of it and passed the great cooking recipes from generation to generation. Because that’s what we black people do. We don’t act like complaining African-Americans. A complaining farmer doesn’t eat until he gets his az in the field. No what I’m saying.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Reality_Check21/ Reality_Check21

    idk about the said can. if it had only a black girl on the can then maybe i would say that it’s reacist!!!! As for the Obama T-shirts it is racist dull come on now, a monkey eating a banana!! Evryone know that there was going to be these kind of slans from people………… dull!! It’s a lot of racism going on in this world but you look passes it because its 2009 and the color of your skin is a issue if you make it to be!! Clearly I don’t worry about it!!!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/vasco5/ vasco5

    lol lol you’re right what the hell ncgirl is talking about.now the reason for me to take this issue racist which it ain’t that sensitive no more for it to be racist >>is because that image of white or red ashley lips and black paint was put on a white folks to make a mockery of poor suffering blacks in the neighborhood,basically it looks too close for comfort for racist whites,it doesn’t have the same looks like aunt jemiah,or uncle bens image.that’s my only reason.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/lilwhyte23/ lilwhyte23

    you know i sit here and read alot of these comments and think. i agree with alot of them bout this not being racist. why? it got both whyte and black kid on there eating watermelon. let them put a whyte kid on a pack of crackers or a whyte kid on a jar of mayo. im can complain but it wont do nothing. i think alot of plp get common facts mixed up with racism. everyone that this is racist “Do you eat watermelon?” if so shut the f@%k up because that is a fact. black and whyte plp eat watermelon. its plp like lips_and_tongue that see and make something out of nothing. but the pics bout obama thats racist and f%$ked up.

    if someone that know how i can read comments on what plp say bout my comment plz let me know

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/hinesbb1/ hinesbb1

    We live in a capitalist society, what the problem is;is that black people shoud be alot more concious about what we put in our mouths. If we knew that soda is one of the worst things that we could drink other then milk. They would have a hard time selling this crap!! Soda has acid and acid causes mucos in the body and mucos causes disease. So it would be wise to stop eating all of these unhealthy things just because it taste good. As for me I dont care what face you put on a can. Did not your dead animal flesh once have a face?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Blac_diamond42/ Blac_diamond42

    You’re missing the whole point hines, they are buying and selling us on merchandise like we are n****rs and slaves in the 2000′s. What they are saying is what they have always thought, even though they try to hide it well, Obama brought the truth to the surface, we are still n****rs and cattle, and that is all we are good for !What you put into your body is common sense, that too many bad things cause disease, but pain and stress through racism is a deadly combination too! There is also a saying that rings true : For evil to thrive, is for good men( and women) to do nothing! Remember these words, for you will hear them again.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/hugkiss09/ hugkiss09

    I wasn’t going to comment on this anymore but after I read the post of “non educated younger groups of people” I had to comment. First of all to Lips_and_Tongue I am an educated BLACK woman and proud of it I have my Bachelor’s Degree and finshed with over a 3.0 and now I am pursuing my Master’s Degree. I do think history is very important bcuz it helped shape our lives today however just bcuz I don’t think this issue is a big deal or the fact that it is not racist does not make me uneducated. The point of the past is just that its the past not every white person is out to get “The Man” I have a few white friends who have been better to me than my so called “brothers and sisters”. Back then what they fought for was very necessary bcuz it was point blank racism. Yes some still exists but it is not everywhere and everybody is not racist. At this point in our lives there are other things important like getting our BLACK CHILDREN interested in education and out the jail cell. I have read some very ignorant comments from both sides. As some people have already stated black people take the smallest issue and turn it into a race issue. I guess some would feel better if it was a white girl. If you are taking offense to this then obviously this says something about your character and how you feel about urself. I don’t eat watermelon so I dont see anything wrong with it its not a representation of MY world!!!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/candy_apple_blk/ candy_apple_blk

    black people have their own racist problems within the black community. we fight over colors and streets that dont belong to us (very stupid if you ask me). we talk about light vs. dark. good hair vs. bad/nappy hair. its all sad if you ask me but its something that will never go away. the roots of racism are deep and strong. in 2009 we have come along way but we still have a long way to go. if black people would unite and stop all this nonsense fighting, killing, and destroying we could really stand up and be a mighty fist instead of pointing the finger. its funny because black people dont even see that “we” (speaking as a whole race) are just feeding into what others want us to do to destroy ourselves. why do you think their are more liqour stores in black communties than anywhere else? its all apart of a mass vindictive plan to wipe ourselves. all this crime in the black communites also is slowly killing the black race. we need to look within ourselves and why do we hate our own black people the way we do and try to fix that first before we start talking about what other races are saying about us/ how they portray “us”. we were taught to hate our own race just as much as the white slave owners hated us back in the day. thats why the light skinned people were allowed in the “big house”. we still have those senseless mentalities but we dont see them as for what they are anymore. Black people as a whole are a weak nation headed for exstinction if we dont get ourselves together quick fast and a hurry. i have nothing against other races i just would like to see our people stand up strong tall and beautiful as our ancestors were. our ancestors are rolling over in their graves because of the shameful things that go on within the black race. Do you know that i get tired of defending the stupidity that “some” black people put out their. it shouldnt be that way. WAKE UP PEOPLE PLEASE. God bless us all.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/candy_apple_blk/ candy_apple_blk

    sorry for the typo errors I got a little frustrated

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/jazzwatch/ jazzwatch

    Target should be ashamed of theirselves and should pull that crap off their shelves and the racist Obama haters T-shirts is equally f**ked up……racism against us will NEVER end…they will always be ignorant people want to start some s**t against Black people (even ourselves, like using the n work for ENDEARMENT and putting each other down by color and looks)…. I just wish we all can live in a world where we’re not judged by out skin color, but our content of our character….I guess it has to be proven to ME and not preached…

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/redzonedj/ redzonedj

    This is horrible,in this day and age to see this type of racist material being sold in a target. I think everyone should stop buying things in target till they apoligize and take every one of these soda’s off their shelves. I could just imagine the shock of the customers walking in their local Target and seeing that. It is an insult to every person of color, Black, Hispanic, Asian and Indian, not to mention to other White (mixed) customers that shop in Target, it would make everyone uncomfortable, the makers should be ashamed of themselves… Boycott Tartget
    Dj

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/jongray/ jongray

    That can is racist… But that soda is the Bomb! Real Talk…

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/JThomas_0022/ JThomas_0022

    My name is Joshua Thomas and I work in Target’s Communications department. I’ve been working with our buying team on this situation and wanted to share an update.

    First and foremost, it is never Target’s intent to offend any of our customers – or guests as we call them at Target – with the products we offer. If any product raises questions or concerns, we listen to our guests. That’s exactly what happened here. As soon as we were made aware of the concerns about this soda, we removed it from our shelves.

    We sincerely apologize to anyone who may have been offended by this soda and assure you that we’re going to learn something from this situation that we can apply down the road. That doesn’t mean we’ll always get it just right, but hopefully it shows that we’re listening.

    Thanks for sharing your concerns, and again, I apologize on behalf of Target. If you’d like to speak with someone at the company or have feedback you’d like us to hear, I’d encourage you to contact our Guest Relations team at guest.relations@target.com.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/ReDuXX/ ReDuXX

    noone, as far as my knowledge is concerned, has ever filed a public complaint against Uncle Ben’s rice and Aunt Jemima’s pancake mix and syrup! did anyone point out the generalizations/stereotypes concerning these products? Aunt Jemima with a red rag, shiny face and heavyset frame never stopped any of you from guiding that batter into your mouths or preparing a side dish of rice to compliment your meals…JEEZ! form a hate diatribe or discussion regarding ‘real’, more significant issues…

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Shes_Back/ Shes_Back

    Not sure if anyone else has pointed this out, and I don’t care to read thru 10 pages of comments ta find out…haha…butttt….did anyone happen ta notice that there was a white boy on tha other side of tha can eating watermelon 2?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/MZ_KNIGHTOWL/ MZ_KNIGHTOWL

    Theres a white kid of the other side eating a watermelon??? hmm never seen the can before,,,but maybe they put the white kid of the other side to distract people from paying too much attention to the black kid,,,but they still got caught up. Someone brough up uncle ben’s rice (or as my mom calls him Tio Ben,,,LoL) but rice isnt known to be a racial stereotype for black people,,,and the pic aint no big deal,,,but Aunt Jamima,,,hmmm I know its syrup but that aint the problem,,,lol. anyway,,,that soda is getting alot of hype and im sure people r curious about it now,,,when i never even seen or heard of it til now.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/OlatunjiM/ OlatunjiM

    Caucasians are still Caucasians-Trailer Park Trash. What else can you say.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/samsthewon/ samsthewon

    First and foremost RACISM,unfortunately is here to stay.It’s been around for the last 4 or 500yrs.So why would it all of a sudden banish now.In regard’s to this product and other’s like it.There should be some type of suit brought up against them by minority consumer’s.Just taking it off the shelves isn’t good enough.When they knew what it was originally intended to do,before they even put it on the shelves!If these companies were hit in the pocket book’s…they’d think very hard before trying a stunt like that again.Myself personally would never drink that crap.One commenter mentioned how good it was the “BOMB”,is what they said.Think for a minute,why the hell would you drink something targeted toward’s your race in a negative way…DUH!!!…I don’t drink none of that MALT LIQUOR crap they peddle mainly in Urban areas.Once again…”Stop and Think”,you can’t go in their neighborhood’s and buy that crap!Then why in the hell would you drink it!!!…Black people are our own worst enemy.I know we’ve been “SYSTEMATICALLY BRAINWASHED”,for the last 400 or so year’s.But we’ve first of all gotta come off that slave mentality.Like for example (A White man has Ice and a Black man has Ice?…Their both the same amount,and they’ve been frozen the exact same time.”We’d rather have that White man’s Ice,every time cause we think his is COLDER for some reason!!!…A lot of Black’s would believe if the White man told em’ the sky is gonna be GREEN tomorrow. Wkae up people,”KNOWLEDGE IS POWER”

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/TBWilliams/ TBWilliams

    Is Target’s soda can insensitive? Perhaps.
    Lets play devils advocate. On one hand, the first thing you see white people pull from there minivan is a watermelon. The second is a basket of fried chicken. On the other hand, the first thing you hear out of the mouth of young black people greeting each other is . . . .N—-a . . .! Why the double standard? Black people we need to change our outlook on the world and ourselves. We are better then what society has portrayed us. We are a strong willed people with pride in our hearts, strength in our arms, intelligence in our brains, visions in our eyes, and hunger in our belly. If we help change our image and stop buying the trash they won’t put it on the shelves.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/WighTShadoW/ WighTShadoW

    i want that drink!!!! lol i cant f^%&*($ believe they did this! who is the retard who did this? does it taste good? IS filled wit chicken grease and pickle juice? it must not of had a racist intent—ol whitey jus got into the negro spirit of throw backs to membering the good ol days! for honkies mayby! target needs to bump that shyt—but not b4 i get mine! sorry if i’m a bit off color for master crakka honky–but that drink is some bullshyt. they need to make a drink wit geek as looking white dude picking cotton n getting face stomped while plack panthers smashing out they white gurls cuz it burns whitey up to see blacky with his gurl—LMAO—i love all women—cuz women love me–siad by a great man—Meth-2-da-WU-tangclan man! hip hop

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/WighTShadoW/ WighTShadoW

    sams the1–racism isnt here to stay i come from capitol hieghts MD–1 of the last white people at that time back in mid 80′s 2 b there-i was like 5 or 6 in watched as a screaming black lady came to our porch for help–my family was n****r this n****r that and i to said shyt i repeated what i heard–my grand ma wouldnt let her–she was screaming for her life–her boyfriend beat the shyt out of her–i still remember her way worse than rhianna. i looked at my grandma like i cant believe u wont let her in. she was a human being a gurl some1′s baby gurl–maybe som1s mama and she could die–and u wont help—i felt distant from my fam from that point on. oh to end the story—the lady ran round back hid behind some bricks- her man camein our back door saying i know she in here–my uncle eric–Broc(a black man who was a friend–drug dealing associates wit my fam) and 2 other white guys beat this big ass dude down. my grandmas sewing room floor used to be white but after that it was a light redish color–blood stains–I am not racists. my children will not be taught to be racist. racism will die n time–HIP HOP will kill it. I promise you that. 1 love. sorry if my language is to real for you but thats my life. Something real.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Tylese/ Tylese

    NO WIGH U LOVE BUMPIN WHITE WOMEN CAUSE THATS WHAT YOU LIKE. U THINK THEY CARE? BUT IT’S ALL AT THE BLACK WOMEN’S EXPENSE.BLK MEN ARE CLUELESS. THEY GT YOU HOOKED ON THAT WHITE TANG. ANYWAY ABOUT THE SODA I AM GOING TO CHECK OUT MY TARGET AND IT WILL BE A PROBLEM IF THIS PRODUCT IS AVAILABLE.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Tylese/ Tylese

    VOID MY LAST ENTRY. WIGH IS WHITE Y ARE YOU ON HERE WIGH? YOU WHITE PEOPLE LOVE TO BE IN OUR MIX BUT THE FIRST ONES TO TRY TO DEGRADE US.YOU HAVE NO CLUE ABOUT OUR CULTURE RACE OR OUR STRUGGLES.YOU NEED TO GO BACK TO UR WHITE PLANET.HOLLA PUNK!!!!!!!!!! YOUR STORY IS BOGUS WHERE DID YOU MAKE THAT UP? AT YOUR WEEKLY KKK MEETING?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/IAN-C/ IAN-C

    damn!! Thank you Candy_apple_black for keeping it real. we need to get up stand up and stop kissing the so call mans a-s-s

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Da_J_Rok/ Da_J_Rok

    The problem that face today is that we dont have a “VOICE” Martin and Malcom were voices but they came in the capacity of the same era. Who is gonna step up and step out and accept being a martyr? Me personally I dont get offended by white people anymore, as long they stay out of arms reach they can say what they want to, cause im gonna surely say how I feel. Collectively we dont have a market to express ourselves TV One is the only black owned television network and if u dont have satellite then u dont even get that, we got the internet but that requires buying ad space from the major web based networks which all of course are owned by white people so its almost a double whammy. Blacks need to start “INVESTING” in Blacks and quit selling out.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/BigFlagurl/ BigFlagurl

    What the hell is everyone so in an uproar about? OMG Its just soda. For the record, THAT PARTICULAR SODA HAS A WHITE GUY ON IT AS WELL. In the caribbean, that watermelon cola is a normal soft drink. Everything is always about race in the US and to be a Haitian and KNOW ALL THE FACTS… Its just soda. Drink it or dont look at it. As far as I know…You can complain about a black girl on a watermelon can but trust me…In two seconds, there will be someone buying it in either in Harlem, Miami, or Boston. If they aren’t living here, then they will be drinking it in Haiti, Dominican Republic or even Bahamas. Get over it and find a real Racist issue to discuss. That particular Target probably just knows that they have a carribean following and needed to please their customers.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/BigFlagurl/ BigFlagurl

    PS.. That soda has been out for years! If you haven’t seen it, you probably havent been in a Haitian, Cuban, or Dominican owned Market. I’ve been drinkin that soda since I was in Kindergarten. I’m freaking 24 now. LOL Somethings just dont need to be worried about. Lets stop worrying about Soda and focus on real issues like Education and Healthcare. Who cares whats on Soda? I just want to make sure kids are able to READ the SODA. LOL

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Da_J_Rok/ Da_J_Rok

    I wonder do they sell catfish in a can, I might buy that

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/DWCTY1/ DWCTY1

    THIS IS A DAM SHAME IF U GANG BANG THEN Y DO U HATE RACISM CUS U DOING EXACTLY WAT THEY DO IF U R A GANG BANGER OR U RAP GANGSTA THEN I’M TALKN TO U PPL DIED FOR U TO KILL OFF YO PPL NO THEY DIED TO HELP THE PPL AN HISTORY REPEATS IT SELF THRU T.V AN NOBODY CARE’S OBAMA IS A PUPPET TO THESE FOLKZ AN SO ARE U IF U ABIED BY THE WHITE MAN’S LAWS MAY THE LORD HELP THOSE WHO R BLIND.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/MZ_SPOILED313/ MZ_SPOILED313

    this is real upsetting to me.the question is why would you market something like that knowing that it would cause controvesy about it?it is degrading.i believe that should be pulled from the shelves.i don’t like it.if u sit there and accept it as a black person that means that you have some issues,as well as the white folks.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Da_J_Rok/ Da_J_Rok

    U hit the nail on the head @ DWCTY1… Now if we could get all the gangsta’s leaders to come together and quit fightin against each other and get on the same page then we would see who is more powerful. Guerilla Warfare aint what they want in America, Guerilla’s always beat the Chumps… opps I mean Chimps, just a lil porch monkey humor…lol

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/2daTopnonStop/ 2daTopnonStop

    There are some silly folks who would love to continue living their lives in a box~

    If the pic was some how different ok~but it flat out went back to 19th century “black face” jiggaboo yes mas’sah no mas’sah days. And some folks are saying no big deal?

    Man Ignorance sho’ nuff iz bliss I rekon~

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/SweetCaliTea/ SweetCaliTea

    Don’t you get it? They create and market this stuff because they don’t care whether they offend us or not. To most of the races in this country (generally speaking), not just the white race, Blacks are the lowest of the low and are therefore not worthy of respect. This is no big deal; neither was the lil’ monkey doll nor all of the other little disrespectful comments and inuendos made towards Black poeple. The big deal is the way we handle this crap: posting comments on a blog that mostly black poeple read, arguing amongst ourselves, hating each other, not supporting each other. not raising our kids, not creating and maintaining strong families. F what the white man says about us. F what they think about us. What do you say about yourself? What do you think about yourslelf? And I’m not talking about you as the individual, I’m talking about you as a member of the Black race. How many times have you disrespected a Black man or Black woman? How many times have you neglected you responsibilities for inconsequential material items or the opportunity to showcase at a club? How many underprivilaged Black kids have you mentored? How many hours have you volunteered to clean up or make a Black community better? Probably none. It’s funny Black people want respect from races but don’t even give respect themselevs. And it’s funny how Black people are still appalled by predujice behavior of non-blacks. This may be a new year but this is the same country that enslaved Black folks for YEARS. Same country that had white mobs lynch Black folks for looking white people in the eye. Same country that didn’t even allow Black people to patronize the same store as white patrons. Oh because we have a balck president we overcame? Please look at the level of respect that he gets. But I guess we shall overcome someday. What a joke!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Sub-Negro/ Sub-Negro

    This product has been around since 2007 and is made by :
    Product of Cawy Bottling Co., Inc.

    Company established in Cuba 1948.

    Cawy Bottling Co., Inc.
    2440 NW 21st Terrace
    Miami, FL 33142
    FL Tel. 305-634-8669
    Toll Free 877-917-2299
    Fax 305-634-2291

    Notify them of your disapproval of this product.

    On the web: http://www.cawy.net
    Employees: 50

    Cawy Bottling manufactures fruit-flavored soft drinks such as Jupiña, Materva, and Coco Solo. Its products are distributed throughout the US, Canada, Spain, and Central America. The company, originally established in Cuba in 1948, moved to the US in the 1960s as a result of the island’s takeover by Fidel Castro. Cawy’s first introduction to the US market was Cawy Lemon Lime. The company soon expanded to offer other fruit-flavored drinks and herbal enhanced drinks such as yerba mate soda.

    Key numbers for fiscal year ending December, 2008:
    Sales: $5.8M

    Officers:
    President, CFO, and General Manager: Carbonated Beverages

    Competitors:
    Coca-Cola
    Goya
    PepsiCo

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/ladyiska/ ladyiska

    if there is a color person on a soda i like it everyother cartoon is white why cant there be a blk one and now that other stuff wit monkeys for obama das obvious racist. the soda should be sold im cuban n i never saw anythin wrong wit it there are both blk n white ppl why not advertize some wit blk its not offensive

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/ladyiska/ ladyiska

    oh and i think evryone da does have a problem wit it is racist cuz i see evryone equal it should be a doll n soda in both colors it doesnt matter…if it was a white kid why is it not offensive then? i just think ppl are ignorants i was not raised around racist maners and das why i dont see the harm in it

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/DarionJ/ DarionJ

    Im with stupid (below)

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/SonyaM97/ SonyaM97

    First off, I can see how this can be construed as racist but there is a white kid on the other side of the can…my question is, if “Kernel Sanders was black, would you think the fried chicken they sell is a racist product?”

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/MZ_KNIGHTOWL/ MZ_KNIGHTOWL

    LMAO @ DARION J,,,,

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/shaggakhan2009/ shaggakhan2009

    Re: ladyiska’s comment — first of all Sweetie, learn how to write in standard ENGLISH. Not that sub-literate, illegible, mumbo jumbo you wrote in that so-called “opinion” of yours. That being said, the imagery on the can IS racist and insulting to all people not just Black Americans.

    Anyone who thinks it is harmless is either an idiot or grossly insensitive to the the racial/cultural personalities of Black people in America. Considering the history of inhuman/demeaning images we have endured in print, radio, film and spoken word — I cannot fanthom how anyone with an IQ over 10 or even a miniscule amount of Black identity can view this imagery without being at least a little pissed off.

    And for those that say “Hey, but there’s White kid on the other side” — I reply with “What’s your point?”

    And will someone else tell “ladyiska” to learn how to write without offending the English language.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Hokage-Sama69/ Hokage-Sama69

    this is stupid…they have white kids on those sodas too…how come they arent showing those. lame.

  • http://newsone.com/nation/casey-gane-mccalla/dan-rather-says-obama-couldnt-sell-watermelons/ Dan Rather Says Obama “Couldn’t Sell Watermelons” | News One

    [...] JUST CURIOUS: Target Sells Racist Soda Now? TAGS: Barack Obama, Dan Rather, Watermelon Share with friends! [...]

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Jahz_Lynx1/ Jahz_Lynx1

    Sub_Negro said it best.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/mimismith9/ mimismith9

    That product has been around forever that’s one of my favorite soda.. please racist. You people are idiots.. If it were only a white girl than you guys would start an uproar too. God its just a soda can. You people find everything to b***h about. GET OVER IT. Yes Racist still exist But really..Maybe its because Am from Miami I might be bias because i have a case of it in my fridge.You people have to much time on your hands..Go to a park or something..

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/TALL_CHOCOLATE_MAN/ TALL_CHOCOLATE_MAN

    thats one of our problems, we quick 2 b offended behind a picture on a can citing rascism, but see no problem with the many can of malt liquors that have been targeting our communities over the years. black people wake up!, those same people in the video talking about a picture on a soda can are content with the idea that malt liquor was design exclusively for black people. i say this because, ive never seen any one of them or any so called black leader standing up against the alcohol industry of the united states.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/fordstar25/ fordstar25

    look man the can is clearly not racist poor graphic design maybe..but i thought this article was funny made me laugh….enjoy life i gonna go try it out

  • http://newsone.com/nation/associated-press/off-duty-cop-stops-knife-attack-at-calif-target/ Off-Duty Cop Stops Knife Attack At Calif. Target | News One

    [...] RELATED: JUST CURIOUS: Target Sells Racist Soda? [...]

  • http://thelightnc.com/national/reggiefoster/off-duty-cop-stops-knife-attack-at-calif-target/ Off-Duty Cop Stops Knife Attack At Calif. Target | TheLightNC

    [...] RELATED: JUST CURIOUS: Target Sells Racist Soda? [...]

  • http://foxync.com/national/cyoung2009/off-duty-cop-stops-knife-attack-at-calif-target/ Off-Duty Cop Stops Knife Attack At Calif. Target | FoxyNC – Foxy Hits

    [...] RELATED: JUST CURIOUS: Target Sells Racist Soda? [...]

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/catt11mann/ catt11mann

    Again,no matter how was presented, its a play on black people, that picture of blacks and watermelon , has been characterized,written about in a racist way for over a hundred years, and to say people are over reacting is stupid. Because there’s a white person on the can eating watermelon, how many pictures,jokes,sterotypes of whites have been protrayed in such negative,dehumanized manner? Surely, that doesn’t balance the negative protrayal that blacks have endured connected with watermelon. Here we are still having jokes made about blacks and watermelon, calling watermelon Obamas fruit, and pictures of watermelons growing on the lawn at the white house.We as black people need to protest and let this company know there’s a better way of protraying us, and to those that didn’t find it offensive, I guess you still laugh at the n….jokes being told by whites at the company picnic.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Caggie_64/ Caggie_64

    I shope @ Target most every other week, or Once a month @ the least. I guess I missed it (if they had it in their store) Maybe they only put those sodas in the East Coast stores?
    None the less, that’s terrible that they did that.
    I’m NOT familiar with Cawy products

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/bigbaby1571/ bigbaby1571

    these racist white b***hes dont even care about the character and the image of this country dont they know what something like this can lead to hate begets hate racism aint never built anything but hate, violence, war, if they dont quit this bulls**t they gonna mess around and start violence and another civil war in this country and shame ourselves before other nations as long as there is racism we can have no peace, a black man becomes president and this country shows her true color,lies and cover ups wont get us past this.

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